Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) acknowledged Monday that her falling-out with former President Donald Trump over her advocacy for releasing Epstein-related records may have derailed her gubernatorial ambitions, even suggesting it could be the end of her political career.
“It may have ended my political career,” Mace told NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo, reflecting on her failed bid for South Carolina governor. “Let’s be honest, I didn’t go to Washington to take orders from anybody, which is why you do see me scuffle from time to time, which is why I do call out Democrats and Republicans alike.”
Mace was one of several House Republicans who broke with the Trump administration last year to back legislation compelling the Justice Department to disclose files from its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. That independent streak, she now believes, may have been the decisive factor in her defeat in the GOP primary last month, where she placed fifth in a race to replace term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster.
But Mace’s political future may not be over. Following the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) over the weekend, she is reportedly considering a return to Congress. McMaster appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to fill the seat for the remainder of his term, with a special GOP primary scheduled for August to determine who will hold the seat starting in January.
Mace praised Nordone’s appointment as “historic,” noting she will be South Carolina’s first female U.S. senator. However, she criticized fellow Republicans who have already announced bids for the seat, saying, “It’s too soon for that.” She added, “It would be something that many people would look at the end of the day, but we’ve got a little bit of time before things ramp up for anybody to make that sort of decision and see what the president decides, because he and Lindsey were very close, and I think he’s gonna want to weigh in on this too.”
Mace’s openness about a Senate run drew sharp rebuke from Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who called her social media post quoting The Godfather Part III—“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in”—“grotesque.” Lawler wrote, “Taking glee over the potential of becoming a Senator because of a vacancy created by the sudden death of your colleague is vile. Completely unfit to serve.”
In a separate tribute, Mace called Graham a “giant” and praised his decades of service. “We did not always agree, but no one questioned his love for South Carolina or the fight he brought to every room he walked into,” she wrote.
Mace’s political calculus now hinges on Trump’s influence. The former president has already backed Nordone for the interim appointment, and his endorsement could shape the August primary. For Mace, whose career was nearly undone by a break with Trump, the path forward may require navigating the same dynamics that nearly ended it. As she put it, “I didn’t go to Washington to take orders.”
