GOP Rep. Nancy Mace took a break from creepily posing outside public restrooms on Monday to announce that she will launch a bid for governor in her home state of South Carolina, joining a crowded Republican primary that is shaping up to be a race measuring who can kiss Dear Leader’s butt the hardest.
“On Monday, August 4th, Nancy Mace will deliver a major address on the future of South Carolina,” Mace wrote in a post on X. “President Trump needs America First governors. South Carolina needs a fighter. Join us for the official start of a new South Carolina FIRST golden era.
Mace, who has sought to gain ground with bigoted MAGA voters by pulling anti-trans stunts in restrooms, proudly declaring herself a “transphobe,” and praising Trump’s evil immigration agenda, would be the latest Republican to enter the open-seat governor’s race.
Fellow GOP Rep. Ralph Norman already announced his bid, as have Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson.
A poll released Sunday by the South Carolina Policy Council found a tight race with no clear leader. Mace is in first with 16%, followed by Wilson at 15%. Evette is in third with just 8%, followed by Norman with 6%.
Donald Trump’s endorsement will loom large in the primary, as whomever he chooses would automatically catapult into front-runner status.
It’s why the GOP candidates will likely heap gobs of nauseating praise on their autocratic idol—and Mace’s announcement shows she’s already trying to embrace Trump.
“South Carolina deserves a bold, America First Governor who will be unafraid to stand alongside President Trump and hold the line,” Mace wrote in a post on X on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Norman was downright giddy to be the subject of a positive Truth Social post from Trump, and had previously posted an awkward photo of himself with Dear Leader for Trump’s birthday in which he called Trump “a bold leader who puts America First and isn’t afraid to take on the swamp.”
Evette’s campaign website features Trump’s big orange face as the splash image, while Wilson declares on his campaign website that he “is fighting for the MAGA agenda in court and standing with President Trump to protect our conservative values and keep South Carolina safe!” Ew.
Related | Nancy Mace’s attempt at transphobic gotcha question gloriously backfires
Mace, for her part, will be the seventh conservative lawmaker to forgo a run for their House seat in order to run for governor of a deeply Republican state in 2026. It’s a sign that Republicans fear they will lose their House majority, as candidates who think their party is in for a rough election cycle often forgo reelection to their congressional seats.
Ultimately, while the primary will likely be a race to the bottom with the contenders debasing themselves as they praise Trump and compete to prove they’re the most virulently anti-immigrant and anti-trans candidate, there is one silver lining to this field: Mace will not return to Congress, no matter the outcome of the primary. That’s because the election is taking place in 2026, and Mace cannot run for Congress and governor at the same time.
So, good riddance, Nancy. Don’t let the bathroom door hit ya on your way out of Washington.