Mace Demands Attention in Exchange for Doing Nothing for Her Constituents
In four years in Congress, Nancy Mace has passed just one bill: a name change for a post office in Hilton Head, SC. That’s it. One. After winning a third term representing South Carolina’s First Congressional District, Mace is back at it, not with legislation that could help her constituents, but with a series of attention-seeking stunts designed to keep her name in the headlines.
Mace’s latest media grab? A resolution to ban transgender people from using the restroom of their gender identity in the Capitol building. The bill, which is designed to prevent members of Congress, staff, and visitors from using single-sex facilities “other than those corresponding to the biological sex” of the individual, is pure culture war politics with no real purpose.
This resolution comes right after Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, took office. Coincidence? Of course not. Mace has made it clear that she’s using McBride as a punching bag for her political gains. When asked if the bill was aimed at McBride, Mace didn’t hesitate: “Yes, and absolutely, and then some,” she said. She went on to add that McBride “doesn’t get a say in this.”
McBride responded calmly on X, calling for respect and collaboration across the aisle, reminding Americans that people with different life experiences can still work together.
Yesterday, she released the following statement:
But Mace? She doubled down, posting over 140 times on her social media, misgendering McBride, and spreading inflammatory rhetoric like calling transgender people "mentally ill" and saying “a trans woman is still a man.” This isn’t about protecting women or girls; it’s about Mace using transphobia to get attention and keep her name trending.
Mace has spent far more time attacking marginalized groups than doing any actual work for her constituents. She’s made a career out of shocking statements and media-friendly stunts. For example, after voting to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October 2023, she showed up on Capitol Hill wearing a white shirt with a red "A" on it, referencing The Scarlet Letter. She felt she was being “demonized” for her vote. Sources close to her say that the real reason behind her vote wasn’t principle—it was about getting her face on TV. “She wanted every single person to think—when they thought of the McCarthy ouster vote, not to think of the eight, but to think of Nancy Mace,” an anonymous staffer told Slate.
And the theatrics don’t stop there. During the January 6th Capitol riot, Mace allegedly discussed with her staff how she could get "punched in the face" by rioters to increase her profile as a Republican who opposed Trump.
Mace's record on immigration is equally as troubling. She recently attacked former Democratic Charleston County Sheriff Kristen Graziano, accusing her of enabling illegal immigration by halting the county’s participation in the 287(g) program. Graziano fired back, calling Mace’s accusations “mischaracterizations for her perceived political benefit” and suggesting that Mace focus on actually serving her district instead of manufacturing political drama. Graziano would go on to lose her reelection bid to her Republican opponent.
What’s more, her staff turnover speaks for itself: between November 2023 and February 2024, her office had a complete staff exodus. Sources say she was impossible to work with, demanding immediate responses (within 8 minutes, per Slate) to her every whim and even nitpicking over trivial details like Instagram filters. No wonder she has a revolving door of staffers.
Mace promised to serve the people of South Carolina. Instead, she’s serving herself. She’s more interested in staying in the news for her controversial stances than in passing meaningful legislation. With every stunt, Mace proves she cares more about her public image than the real issues facing her constituents.
Nancy Mace might have fooled some people when she first ran for office, but it’s becoming painfully clear that she’s only out for one thing: Nancy Mace. While South Carolina struggles with real issues, she’s busy stirring up fake ones for the sake of a headline.
I’m as blue as they come these days, but if our district is going to be gerrymandered, I’d at least settle for a Republican who did more than get a post office renamed. Pathetic.
When she was at the Citadel she had to follow an honor code. Guess the lessons there didn’t take. The Citadel must be so proud of their graduate.