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Nancy Mace

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Nancy Mace
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from South Carolina's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2021
Preceded byJoe Cunningham
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 99th district
In office
January 23, 2018 – November 8, 2020
Preceded byJames Merrill
Succeeded byMark Smith
Personal details
Born
Nancy Ruth Mace

(1977-12-02) December 2, 1977 (age 46)
Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Chris Niemiec
​
​
(m. 1999; div. 2002)​

Curtis Jackson
​
​
(m. 2004; div. 2019)​
Children2
EducationThe Citadel (BS)
University of Georgia (MS)
WebsiteHouse website

Nancy Ruth Mace (born December 4, 1977) is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district since 2021. Her district includes much of the state's share of the East Coast, from Charleston to Hilton Head Island.

In 1999, Mace was the first woman to graduate from the Corps of Cadets program at The Citadel. From 2018 to 2020, she represented the 99th district in the South Carolina House of Representatives, covering Hanahan, northeast Mount Pleasant, and Daniel Island. Mace is the first Republican woman to be elected to Congress from South Carolina.[1]

Early life, education, and career

Mace was born at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to United States Army officer James Emory Mace and schoolteacher Anne Mace. In 1999 she became the first woman to graduate from The Citadel's Corps of Cadets program,[2] receiving a degree in business administration.[3] Mace wrote In the Company of Men: A Woman at The Citadel (Simon & Schuster, 2001) about that experience.

Mace went on to earn a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.[4]

In 2008, Mace started a consulting business called The Mace Group.[3]

Early political career

Mace campaigned for the Republican Party nomination for the United States Senate in South Carolina in the 2014 election.[5] During the campaign, she opposed the Affordable Care Act, saying, "We must use any means possible to repeal, defund and ultimately stop Obamacare."[6] Mace received 6.2% of the 19,560 votes cast in the Republican primary.[7]

Mace worked for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign in South Carolina.[8]

South Carolina House of Representatives

Elections

2017 special

On September 18, 2017, Mace filed as a Republican to run in a special election for the South Carolina State House District 99 seat being vacated by Jimmy Merrill, who resigned earlier that month after an indictment and plea deal for several ethics violations.[9] She received 49.5% of the vote in the November 14 Republican primary, 13 votes short of winning the nomination outright. She defeated the second-place finisher, Mount Pleasant town councilman Mark Smith, in the November 28 runoff, 63–37%.

Mace defeated Democrat Cindy Boatwright in the January 16, 2018, general election, 2,066 votes to 1,587 (57–43%).[10] She took office on January 23, 2018.

2018

Mace defeated the Democratic nominee, Mount Pleasant resident Jen Gibson, in the November 6 general election.

Tenure

In 2019, Mace successfully advocated for the inclusion of exceptions for rape and incest in a fetal heartbeat abortion ban bill that passed the South Carolina state house. In a speech on the state house floor, Mace revealed that she had been raped at age 16. She has said she opposes abortion but does not believe the government has the right to tell a victim of rape or incest they do not have the right to an abortion.[11]

Mace co-sponsored a bill to oppose offshore drilling off South Carolina's coast.[12] She opposed President Donald Trump's plan to offer oil drilling leases off South Carolina beaches.[13]

The Conservation Voters of South Carolina gave Mace a 100% Lifetime rating for her voting record against offshore drilling and seismic testing.[14][15] The South Carolina Club for Growth gave Mace its 2019 Tax Payer Hero Award.[16][17]

In May 2020, Governor Henry McMaster signed Mace's prison reform bill, which ends the shackling of pregnant mothers in prison, into law.[18][19]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2020

See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina § District 1

In June 2019, Mace announced that she would seek the Republican nomination for South Carolina's 1st congressional district, centered in Charleston, and at the time represented by Democrat Joe Cunningham. Cunningham had won the seat in 2018 in a surprise victory, winning a district Trump had carried by 13 percentage points two years earlier. Mace faced Mount Pleasant City Councilwoman Kathy Landing and Bikers for Trump founder Chris Cox in the June 9 Republican primary. During her primary campaign, she ran an advertisement stating she would "help President Trump take care of our veterans", and in which Vice President Pence called her "an extraordinary American with an extraordinary lifetime of accomplishments—past, present and future.”[20] She won the primary with 57.5% of the vote.[21]

Mace focused her campaign on banning offshore drilling off South Carolina's coast and restoring South Carolina's low country's economy.[1]

In the November general election, Mace defeated Cunningham. She assumed office on January 3, 2021.[22]

Tenure

Mace was one of seven Republicans who publicly refused to support their colleagues' efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election on January 6, 2021. These seven signed a letter that, while giving credence to Trump's election fraud allegations, said Congress did not have the authority to influence the election's outcome.[23] Mace was so concerned by the hostile atmosphere Trump was generating in the District of Columbia that she sent her children home to South Carolina before the congressional vote to accept the Electoral College votes.[24] After a rioting mob attacked the House and Senate buildings, Mace pleaded with Trump to condemn it. While locked down in her Capitol office she told CBSN's Red & Blue host Elaine Quijano, "I'm begging the president to get off Twitter."[25]

Mace, along with all other Senate and House Republicans, voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.[26]

On May 18, 2021, Mace joined 61 other House Republicans to vote against the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act, which condemned acts of hate against Asian-Americans and streamlined data collection and reporting about such occurrences. The bill previously passed the U.S. Senate on a 94–1 vote.[27][28][29] Mace said she opposed the bill because it did not address perceived discrimination against Asian-Americans in higher education.[30]

Committee assignments

Political positions

An October 2021 profile in Politico magazine noted that Mace had worked on Donald Trump's 2016 campaign before disavowing him in the wake of the 2021 United States Capitol attack. She then softened her criticism of Trump before "slowly arcing her political trajectory back toward her post-Jan. 6 image as one of the few House Republicans skeptical of a Donald Trump-ruled GOP."[34]

D.C. statehood

In April 2021, Mace voiced her opposition to a Democratic proposal to grant the District of Columbia statehood. She argued that D.C. was too small to qualify as a state, saying, "D.C. wouldn't even qualify as a singular congressional district." At her announcement, she stood next to Wyoming's Liz Cheney, who represents a state that has a smaller population than D.C.[35][36][37]

LGBT and reproductive rights

In 2021, The Washington Examiner wrote that Mace "is a supporter of both religious liberty and gay marriage."[38] Later that year, she told The Washington Examiner, "I strongly support LGBTQ rights and equality. No one should be discriminated against." She opposed the Equality Act, instead co-sponsoring a Republican alternative called the Fairness for All Act.[39]

Mace was one of 31 Republicans to vote for the LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act.[40][41] She was one of 26 Republicans to vote for the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act.[42]

In 2021, Mace was among a handful of Republican representatives who did not sign onto an amicus brief to overturn Roe v. Wade.[43]

Marijuana legalization

In 2021, Mace introduced the States Reform Act to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and regulate it similarly to alcohol.[44] Mace said: "This bill supports veterans, law enforcement, farmers, businesses, those with serious illnesses, and it is good for criminal justice reform. ... The States Reform Act takes special care to keep Americans and their children safe while ending federal interference with state cannabis laws."[45]

Foreign policy

In June 2021, Mace was one of 49 House Republicans to vote to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.[46][47]

Liz Cheney

Mace opposed the first attempt to remove Liz Cheney as chair of the House Republican Conference, saying, "We should not be silencing voices of dissent. That is one of the reasons we are in this today, is that we have allowed QAnon conspiracy theorists to lead us."[48] In early May, Mace did fundraiser events with Cheney. During the second attempt to remove Cheney as chair, Mace voted to remove her, calling her "too divisive" for the position.[49][better source needed]

Defense

In September 2021, Mace was among 135 House Republicans to vote in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, which contains a provision that would require women to register for the draft.[50][51]

Contempt of Congress

On October 21, 2021, Mace was one of nine House Republicans who voted to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress. Explaining her vote, Mace said she was being "consistent" and wants "the power to subpoena" in the event that Republicans regain control of the House of Representatives in 2022.[52]

Personal life

Mace resides in Charleston, South Carolina, on Daniel Island.[53] She has two children with her ex-husband Curtis Jackson, whom she divorced in 2019.[54] Mace was previously married to Chris Niemiec.[55]

On June 1, 2021, the Charleston Police Department opened an investigation after Mace's home was vandalized with profanity and graffiti.[56]

Electoral history

South Carolina State House District 99 Republican primary, 2017 (special)[57]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Nancy Mace* 1,290 49.5%
Republican Mark Smith* 714 27.4%
Republican Shawn Pinkston 373 14.3%
Republican Jarrod Brooks 228 8.8%
Total votes 2,605 100.%
South Carolina House District 99 special election, 2018
South Carolina State House District 99 Republican primary runoff, 2017 (special)[58]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Nancy Mace 1,695 62.6%
Republican Mark Smith 1,012 37.4%
Total votes 2,707 100.0%
South Carolina State House District 99 general election, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Nancy Mace 8,778 62.2%
Democratic Jen Gibson 4,640 35.8%
Working Families Jen Gibson 278 2.0%
Total votes 14,106 100.0%
Republican hold
Nancy Mace vs. Jen Gibson, general election in South Carolina 99th House District on November 6, 2018
South Carolina State House District 99 election, 2018 (special)[59]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Nancy Mace 2,066 56.6%
Democratic Cindy Boatwright 1,587 43.4%
Total votes 3,653 100.0%
Republican hold
[60]
South Carolina's 1st congressional district, Republican primary 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Nancy Mace 48,411 57.48%
Republican Kathy Landing 21,835 25.92%
Republican Chris Cox 8,179 9.71%
Republican Brad Mole 5,800 6.89%
South Carolina's 1st congressional district, 2020[61]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Nancy Mace 216,042 50.6
Democratic Joe Cunningham (incumbent) 210,627 49.3
Write-in 442 0.1
Total votes 427,111 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Stabile, Angelica (November 9, 2020). "13 GOP women join the House, dominating congressional elections, making history". FOX News. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  2. ^ "Maxine Hudson". The Citadel. May 29, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Nancy Mace". The Citadel. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  4. ^ Brett, Jennifer (September 4, 2016). "Nancy Mace became first woman to graduate from The Citadel". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  5. ^ "Nancy Mace Will Seek Nomination for US Senate". Nancymace.org. August 3, 2013.
  6. ^ Harper, Scott (April 24, 2014). "Graham faces tough opponents". The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  7. ^ Martin, Jonathan (June 11, 2014). "In South Carolina, Graham Prevails Without a Runoff". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  8. ^ Byrd, Caitlin (January 20, 2018). "Nancy Mace gives South Carolina Legislature its first state lawmaker with clear ties to Trump". The Post and Courier. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  9. ^ "Suspended Lawmaker Jim Merrill Resigns Hours Before Court Hearing". WLTX.
  10. ^ Estabrook, Katie (January 19, 2018). "Republican Nancy Mace Secures State House District 99 Seat". The Daniel Island News. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  11. ^ Byrd, Caitlin (May 14, 2019). "It took SC Rep. Nancy Mace 25 years to share she was raped. She never expected this". The Post & Courier. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
  12. ^ Tripp, Drew (September 8, 2020). "Trump puts 10-year ban on offshore oil drilling off SC coast". WCIV. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  13. ^ Fears, Darryl (February 28, 2018). "For many Republicans, Trump's offshore drilling plan and beaches don't mix". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  14. ^ "Nancy Mace". Conservation Voters of South Carolina. Conservation Voters of South Carolina. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  15. ^ Novelly, Thomas (September 13, 2020). "SC 1st Congressional District: Cunningham and Mace differ on climate change science views". The Post and Courier. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  16. ^ Antle, W. James II (June 11, 2020). "Winner in GOP South Carolina House primary shows Trump imprimatur still a big advantage". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  17. ^ "Cunningham, Mace spar over taxes, Parris Island, voting record in Congressional debate". WCIV. October 6, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  18. ^ Benson, Adam (May 21, 2020). "SC becomes 43rd state to outlaw shackling of pregnant inmates". The Post and Courier. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  19. ^ "Governor McMaster signs bill banning shackling of pregnant inmates". ABC Columbia. Associated Press. May 22, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  20. ^ Byrd, Caitlin (April 14, 2020). "SC congressional candidate Nancy Mace touts Trump ties in new TV ad". The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  21. ^ "Live: South Carolina State Primary Election Results 2020". The New York Times. June 24, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  22. ^ Rivera, Ray; Phillips, Patrick; Jacobs, Harve; Donahue, Lillian (November 3, 2020). "Nancy Mace wins U.S. House race beating Joe Cunningham". live5news.com. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  23. ^ Budryk, Zack (January 3, 2021). "Coalition of 7 conservative House Republicans says they won't challenge election results". The Hill. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  24. ^ Back, George (January 7, 2020). "New congresswoman sent children home prior to assault on Capitol: 'My motherly instincts said this doesn't feel right'". Yahoo News. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  25. ^ "Rep. Nancy Mace: 'I'm begging the president to get off Twitter' as protesters storm Capitol". Red & Blue. January 6, 2021. CBS News. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  26. ^ Carl Hulse (March 6, 2021). "After Stimulus Victory in Senate, Reality Sinks in: Bipartisanship Is Dead". New York Times.
  27. ^ Sprunt, Barbara. "Congress Passes Bill To Counter The Rise In Anti-Asian Hate Crimes". National Public Radio. National Public Radio. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  28. ^ "Roll Call 145: Bill Number: S. 937". United States House of Representatives: Roll Call Votes. U.S. House of Representatives. May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  29. ^ "Roll Call Vote 117th Congress - 1st Session: On Passage of the Bill (S. 937, As Amended )". U.S. Senate. United States Senate. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  30. ^ Aguilar, Amanda. "Lawmakers speak after House passes COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act". WTOC. Live. Local. Now. Gray Media Group, Inc. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  31. ^ Mace, Nancy (January 25, 2021). "Mace Appointed to Key House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee". U.S House of Representatives. Retrieved January 25, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ Mace, Nancy (January 26, 2021). "Mace Appointed to Key Oversight and Reform Committee". U.S House of Representatives. Retrieved January 26, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ "Mace Appointed to Veterans' Affairs Committee | Representative Nancy Mace". mace.house.gov. January 26, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  34. ^ Beavers, Olivia (October 26, 2021). "The curious case of Nancy Mace". POLITICO. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  35. ^ Bump, Philip. "Analysis | Low population is not a reason to deny D.C. statehood, as Wyoming can attest". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  36. ^ "White House Backs DC Statehood Bill | Washingtonian (DC)". Washingtonian. April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  37. ^ Dale, Daniel (April 20, 2021). "Fact-checking Nancy Mace's claim that DC wouldn't 'qualify' as a single congressional district". CNN. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  38. ^ "The new Republican". Washington Examiner. January 29, 2021.
  39. ^ Polumbo, Brad (March 2, 2021). "Exclusive: Rep. Nancy Mace on why she supports LGBT rights-religious liberty compromise legislation". The Washington Examiner.
  40. ^ Bellamy-Walker, Tat. "House Passes LGBTQ Small Business Loan Data Collection Bill". Gay City News.
  41. ^ https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll162.xml
  42. ^ Swanson, Ian (June 24, 2021). "House passes veterans contraception, LGBTQ business bills previously blocked by GOP". The Hill.
  43. ^ https://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/91b4f962-785b-4a88-b298-908ae76dd297/dobbs-v-jwho-amicus-brief-moc.pdf
  44. ^ Byrd, Caitlin (November 15, 2021). "SC Congresswoman Nancy Mace unveils GOP bill to legalize marijuana at federal level". The State. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  45. ^ Jaeger, Kyle (November 15, 2021). "Republican Lawmakers File Bill To Tax And Regulate Marijuana As Alternative To Democratic Proposals". Marijuana Moment. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  46. ^ Shabad, Rebecca (June 17, 2021). "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization". NBC News.
  47. ^ https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll172.xml
  48. ^ Zanona, Melanie. "Liz Cheney faces blowback after embracing impeachment". POLITICO.
  49. ^ Folks, Will (May 14, 2021). "Nancy Mace Must Come Clean On Liz Cheney Vote".
  50. ^ Zilbermints, Regina (September 23, 2021). "House passes sweeping defense policy bill". TheHill.
  51. ^ "H.R. 4350: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 -- House Vote #293 -- Sep 23, 2021". GovTrack.us.
  52. ^ LeBlanc, Paul (October 21, 2021). "These are the 9 House Republicans who voted to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress". CNN.
  53. ^ "Nancy Mace For US Senate, Biography". Nancymace.org. August 3, 2013.
  54. ^ Karomo, Chege (November 9, 2020). "Is Nancy Mace Married? Details on her personal life". The Netline. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  55. ^ In The Company of Men, Biography. 2001.
  56. ^ "'Very scary': Vandalism at home of SC Congresswoman Nancy Mace highlights new threats to politicians". CNN. June 2, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021 – via wjcl.com.
  57. ^ Beahm, Grace (November 14, 2017). "S.C. House District 99 candidates Nancy Mace and Mark Smith heading to runoff | Palmetto Politics". postandcourier.com. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  58. ^ Byrd, Caitlin (November 28, 2017). "Nancy Mace takes win in Republican runoff for Statehouse District 99 | Palmetto Politics". postandcourier.com. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  59. ^ Byrd, Caitlin (January 16, 2018). "Republican Nancy Mace wins Statehouse District 99 election | Palmetto Politics". postandcourier.com. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  60. ^ "2020 Primary Results". South Carolina Election Commission. 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  61. ^ "2020 Statewide General Election Night Reporting - Results". South Carolina Election Commission. November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
South Carolina House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
from the 99th district
2018–2020 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from South Carolina's 1st congressional district
2021–present 		Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
404th 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nancy_Mace&oldid=1058814608"