Rep. Nancy Mace officially launched her bid for governor of South Carolina, joining a competitive GOP primary to follow term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster.
“God’s not done with South Carolina and neither am I,” Mace wrote in an X post announcing the launch. “You and me. Our mission begins now.”
Mace (R-S.C.), who is in her third term in Congress, has branded herself as a protector of women’s rights.
In May, she shared a photo of a naked silhouette she said her ex-fiance took of her without her consent in a House subcomittee hearing as part of an effort to gain legal protections for victims of nonconsensual recording.
She has also led the charge in advocating for banning transgender women from using the women’s restroom in the Capitol. The move came after Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), a transgender woman, was elected to Congress.
“She’s a fighter, I know about that,” President Donald Trump said in a clip added to Mace’s campaign launch video.
Despite now touting Trump’s allyship, Mace’s relationship with the president has not always been perfect. Mace had previously indicated she felt Republicans needed to “rebuild” and “hold the president accountable” after the Jan. 6 insurrection.
And in 2022, Trump endorsed her challenger in the GOP primary for her House seat. At the time, he called Mace an “absolutely terrible candidate.”
Mace will face Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, state Attorney General Alan Wilson and Rep. Ralph Norman in the primary. The candidates will likely vie for Trump’s endorsement, who could be key in securing the votes necessary to gain an edge in the crowded race.
