Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., laid out an ambitious vision for South Carolina's future during her Tuesday appearance on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," describing her campaign for state governor as a mission to bring conservative, America First policies to the state level.
Calling her campaign launch "absolutely overwhelming," Mace said the early support from voters has exceeded expectations.
"We had more supporters in our first quarter, Q3, than any other candidates combined," she said. "The polling is great. I don't believe the fake polls, but we are crushing it right now … The conservatives are with us, the base, MAGA. They're calling me MAGA Mace now."
The congresswoman, who represents South Carolina's 1st District, said she plans to use her experience in Washington to deliver practical, conservative reforms back home.
"I have learned so much in Congress, and we've been tremendously successful," Mace said. "I want to take what I've learned and then apply it statewide."
A centerpiece of Mace's platform is her goal to make South Carolina the most economically competitive state in the South.
"We have the highest state income tax in the Southeast at 6.2%. We got to get that to zero in the next three to five years. I have a plan for that," she said.
Mace argued that cutting taxes would attract more businesses and high-paying jobs to the state while easing pressure on working families facing rising costs of living.
Mace also emphasized cracking down on illegal immigration and bolstering cooperation between state and federal law enforcement.
"The illegal immigration problem – I want to make sure that our local law enforcement can assist ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] bigger and better than ever before," she said, pointing to existing state facilities that could be repurposed to aid deportation efforts.
"We've had Democrat sheriffs let out these illegals onto the streets of South Carolina who are rapists, murderers, and pedophiles. Not when I'm governor. That ends the day that I get sworn in."
Reflecting on her own journey, Mace shared that she was a high school dropout who later earned a college degree. She said that personal experience shapes her approach to education reform.
"I want our workers to be skilled," she said. "If they're not going to college, I want our kids certified in a trade to get these high-paying, high-skilled jobs that are everywhere in South Carolina."
As her campaign gains momentum, Mace framed her run as a fight for conservative values and South Carolina's economic future.
"It's been really, really deeply humbling to come out of the gate like this," she said. "We're going to work very hard to have the America First agenda in South Carolina."
The next South Carolina gubernatorial election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
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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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