Nancy Mace believes she has pinpointed why President Donald Trump has withheld his endorsement.
The South Carolina House Republican, caught in a tough gubernatorial race, has a history of both opposing and reconciling with Trump. However, her prominent role in disclosing the Jeffrey Epstein files seems to have crossed a line for Trump, who is focused on retaliating against GOP defectors this year.
Trump recently endorsed one of Mace’s challengers, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, significantly impacting the highly conservative state. Historically, Trump’s endorsement has almost guaranteed a runoff spot, leaving Mace and three other Republicans vying for the remaining ballot position.
Despite this, Mace, a three-term representative, remains unapologetic about her Epstein vote and its ramifications.
“That’s the sole reason I didn’t get the endorsement, because I voted to release the Epstein files, and I’m okay with that,” Mace told POLITICO. “I’ve worked very hard to expose pedophiles, and child rapists, and sex trafficking in my state, and will continue to do it regardless of the outcome of the election.”
“It’s full steam ahead, no matter what. I’m not going down without a fight,” she added. “I’m still the MAGA candidate. I support all of MAGA’s policies. I support our president. I’m also an independent conservative.”
Mace is among the few Republican defectors on the Epstein files issue left, while Trump has removed Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) from Congress and turned against Majorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
Unlike other instances, Trump has not openly criticized Mace in this race until endorsing Evette late in the primary. This last-minute challenge from Trump presents another hurdle for Mace’s campaign, which has already been plagued by controversies and a competitive primary field.
Mace’s gubernatorial bid is her most prominent political endeavor, marking a pivotal moment in her career. She has faced political retaliation from key party figures and has had to address public concerns about her mental health.
She defeated a Trump-supported rival in 2022 after denouncing Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. In 2024, she overcame a primary challenge backed by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s allies after voting to remove him. Now, she finds herself at odds with Trump once more, yet she continues to seek alignment with him and emphasizes her respect for him.
The White House has not commented, instead directing POLITICO to Trump’s Truth Social post backing Evette, which omitted any mention of Mace, focusing instead on Evette’s alliance with GOP Gov. Henry McMaster.
According to observers and rivals in South Carolina, Mace’s campaign presents a complex scenario.
She began her campaign in the summer of 2025, leveraging her high name recognition and ability to harness grassroots online fundraising, which provided early advantages. Trump even shared a poll showing her leading the race — a poll Mace personally sent to him. However, in early September, she joined House Democrats in supporting Massie’s move to release the Epstein files, defying Trump’s stance.
In November, momentum started shifting against her, not solely due to the Epstein files.
Mace clashed with the Charleston Airport Authority over a scheduled escort from the curb to her gate, resulting in negative headlines both locally and nationally.
According to a report, Mace used profanity towards law enforcement and TSA agents for not meeting her at the planned location, even as they escorted her.
“I think the airport thing hurt her more than the [Epstein] thing,” said Terry Sullivan, a seasoned South Carolina Republican operative, unaffiliated with the race. “She’s had really strong debate performances, she’s articulate, she’s right on the issues for these folks, but then she just goes a little haywire.”
Mace defended her airport behavior shortly after the incident at a Charleston press conference, denouncing the report as a “political hit job.”
“Did I drop an f-bomb? I hope I did,” she stated at the time. The incident drew strong criticism from South Carolina Republicans, including Sen. Tim Scott, who issued a critical statement condemning her conduct. Sen. Lindsey Graham also criticized her.
Even now, months later, Mace stands by what she did.
“I get over a thousand death threats a year, and I’m the only one that doesn’t get security when traveling. In fact, the last three times I’ve had an altercation or been accosted has been at an airport, particularly the Charleston airport, because the left has lost their mind,” she told POLITICO.
In February, she accused her ex-fiancé and several business associates of serious sexual offenses in a House floor speech. They denied the charges, and Mace has represented herself in the ensuing legal battles, often prioritizing the courtroom over campaigning.
Beyond these controversies, advertising spending also highlights why she struggles to lead in the race.
Mace has surprisingly not invested in television ads, according to AdImpact, despite her strong fundraising throughout the campaign. She has only spent $50,000 on digital ads.
In contrast, the Republican primary has seen nearly $28 million in ad spending by candidates and affiliated PACs, with almost $2 million on negative ads targeting her. Protect Freedom PAC, linked to Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, has invested $1.4 million in positive ads supporting Mace.
Rom Reddy, a millionaire and political newcomer who entered the race late, has outspent all other candidates and PACs, reaching nearly $6 million in the small state. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) are also contenders, spending substantial amounts.
If no candidate surpasses a 50 percent threshold — a likely outcome with five serious contenders — the top two vote-getters will proceed to a head-to-head runoff, with a second voting round set for June 23.
After Trump endorsed Evette, Mace texted Massie, sharing her predicament: “I let him know that I didn’t get the endorsement, and we all know why,” she told POLITICO.
Massie had already addressed the issue on social media.
“Although virtually all Republicans eventually admitted by their votes that it was right to release the Epstein files, only three were brave enough to sign my discharge petition to force that vote. [Lauren] Boebert, [Marjorie Taylor] Greene, and Mace have paid an enormous price for doing the right thing,” he posted on X. Greene left Congress earlier this year following disputes with Trump over Epstein and economic issues, and Trump recently urged a primary challenge to Boebert after her campaign efforts alongside Massie in Kentucky.
Massie hinted at a possible return in 2028, either for his former House seat in Kentucky or another federal role. Mace, if she fails in the primary, remains uncertain about her future.
“I’m not running for Congress again,” Mace said. “I said I would do six years because I believe in term limits, and I made the promise that I would leave Congress after six years, so I won’t be running again.”
Regarding a political career beyond Congress, she remains non-committal: “I’m going to wait and see how Tuesday looks,” she said.
