Nancy Mace Hit Rock Bottom Last Night

Mace’s unhinged CNN segment goes viral

For years, South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace has marketed herself as a reasonable, moderate Republican with an independent streak. Before South Carolina lawmakers gerrymandered the First Congressional District from a swing district into a safe Republican stronghold, Mace did exhibit a degree of independence, even if it was more rhetorical than substantive.

She spoke out on women’s issues, the environment, advocated for marijuana reform, and generally presented herself as a relatable, down-to-earth politician who just happened to hold office. But now that Mace is securely ensconced in a safe seat, where her only concern is appeasing the most conservative factions of her party, she has transformed into a completely different figure.

Today, Mace resembles Marjorie Taylor Greene or Matt Gaetz in style, substance, and rhetoric, aligning herself with the most extreme elements of her party. She has fully embraced their strategy—choosing performance over policy, and spectacle over substance. Her playbook is straight out of the Trump era: never apologize, always double down, and never, under any circumstances, criticize or question Dear Leader.

Nancy Mace hit rock bottom on CNN Thursday night, marking what may be the lowest point of her political career. Appearing on a panel to discuss the 2024 Presidential Election, Mace squandered any opportunity for thoughtful discussion and instead channeled the worst instincts of MAGA world, making a complete fool of herself. 

First, she refused to condemn Trump’s racist comments about Kamala Harris' race, claiming “she hadn’t heard them.” 

The exchange was as cringe-worthy as it was predictable. Nearly every person on the panel pointed out her obvious dishonesty and pathetic excuses, unable to take her seriously. Even the host, Abby Phillip, gave Mace a clear opportunity to show some political courage, but Mace refused to demonstrate an ounce of decency or admit that obvious truth about Trump’s disrespectful comments. 

Then, in perhaps the most glaring example of intentional disrespect, she deliberately mispronounced Harris’ first name, immediately after saying it correctly. Some might call this a Freudian slip. When the panel called her out, Mace retorted with a defiant MAGA line: “I’ll say her name any way I want.”

Nancy Mace has long shed her skin as a serious member of Congress. She’s now just another character in the reality show that is today’s MAGA movement, desperately vying to become one of the main stars. She knows that in the 2024 GOP, the loudest and most extreme voices rise to the top and are rewarded in various ways. With a gerrymandered district ensuring her political survival, Mace has no incentive to appeal to anyone outside of the far-right echo chamber and focus on her political future.

Mace’s climb up the political ladder, though cynical, is undeniably effective. Her role in ousting Kevin McCarthy made her a pariah within her own caucus, eliminating any chance of being a legislative influence. All she has left is to vie for leadership of the Crazy Caucus, (my words) aligning herself with the very people she once promised to oppose.

Gerrymandering is a blight on our democracy, providing political cover for those who prioritize extremism and theatrical outrage over genuine public service. Mace’s recent CNN appearance was no accident. Iwas a calculated move to troll, provoke, and create viral moments that would be clipped, shared, and ultimately monetized by her. The cycle is predictable: Mace will now fundraise off the backlash, rallying Republicans to her defense, growing her social media following, and padding her campaign coffers. Rinse, repeat.

It’s a racket. A corrupt, pathetic, shameless racket. But it’s now Nancy Mace’s entire existence. She has morphed into a professional troll. Just look at her social media—it's indistinguishable from the most extreme voices on the right, whether elected officials or fringe personalities.

In 2020, Mace was hailed as one of the few remaining “normal” Republicans, willing to call out Trump, criticize her party’s extremism, and reach across the aisle. Now, she makes Lauren Boebert look moderate by comparison.

Nancy Mace’s journey from a refreshingly normal human being to a full-fledged MAGA provocateur is a stark reminder of the corrosive impact of gerrymandering and the toxic incentives within today’s GOP. Rather than standing up as a voice of reason, she has chosen to pander to the fringes, sacrificing her integrity for fleeting political gain. The Nancy Mace of 2020 is gone, replaced by a caricature who seems more interested in her next viral moment than in serving the people who elected her. The real tragedy is that, thanks to a rigged district, her constituents—and by extension, the country—are stuck with this hollow performance for the foreseeable future.