Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., told Newsmax on Thursday that she is considering a run for South Carolina governor in 2026 to help duplicate President Donald Trump's legislative agenda in the state.
"When I look at the midterms coming up in the next two years, in 2026, it's going to be a big year for Republicans," Mace said on "Wake Up America." "We have a real opportunity to cinch the U.S. Senate, to get more Trump-supporting governors all across the country to help implement his agenda, and, in my home state of South Carolina, looking to lower taxes, making sure we're working with ICE deporting illegal aliens. I just fired a sanctuary sheriff in Charleston, South Carolina. We have MS-13 gangs, we have cartels in South Carolina.
"We need people who are going to be strong, who are going to be bold, to implement his agenda in every state across the nation. I'm looking at the field and I don't see anyone else out there who has the experience, the work ethic and the ability to make some really tough decisions going forward. So, that's why we're looking at it, and we're lining up support right now as we consider this run to make South Carolina better than ever before."
Asked if she plans to challenge Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., for his seat next cycle, Mace said that she's "been there, done that, got the T-shirt about a decade ago."
"I know a lot of folks are asking us to look at that as well, but I do feel a calling in my heart that when you go to the governor's office and you run statewide, the government closest to the people can have the greatest impact," she said. "The state of South Carolina, the state went from 6.2% state income tax to 6%. It was like two-tenths of 1% tax cut. It should be zero, like Texas and Florida.
"We have folks that have not been working with ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] to deport illegals. We had a sheriff just last year that was letting pedophiles, rapists, and murderers back out onto the streets of South Carolina. So, we need people who are going to protect our citizens and look at what Donald Trump is doing in the White House, then do it in every state house across the country. That's the kind of bold leadership we need right now."
Mace introduced the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act in the House and said that a number of Democrats recently voted against the bill because "this is their voter base."
"They don't want the illegals to leave, not even the murderers and rapists," she said. "They're counting on their vote to keep them in power, and it's disgusting. The Democrats said last week when we voted on my bill to deport rapists, pedophiles and murderers, they said that my bill made the definition of domestic violence too broad. As a survivor of domestic violence, I can tell you, you can't make the definition of domestic violence broad enough. And these people are disgusting. They say that they're for women. Turns out MAGA and conservatives are the feminists now."
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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