Rep. Nancy Mace acknowledged this week that her political future may be uncertain after suffering a decisive defeat in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary. Speaking with NewsNation host Chris Cuomo, Mace suggested her disagreement with President Donald Trump over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files may have damaged her standing within the Republican Party.
Last year, Mace joined a small group of House Republicans in supporting legislation that required the Department of Justice to release Epstein-related files while protecting victims’ identities. The bill ultimately passed Congress and was signed into law by Trump, although critics noted he also had the authority to order the release administratively.
During South Carolina’s governor’s race, Trump declined to endorse Mace and instead backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. Mace finished fifth in the Republican primary and is expected to leave Congress when her current term ends in January.
During Monday’s interview, Cuomo asked whether she would seek the Republican nomination in the upcoming special election for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve until the special election.
Rather than announce a campaign, Mace said her immediate priority remains South Carolina. When Cuomo suggested her public disagreement with Trump may have hurt her political prospects, Mace replied, “It may have ended my political career,” while adding that she has never hesitated to criticize both Republicans and Democrats when she believes it is warranted.
Separately, Mace recently introduced legislation to rename a Washington, D.C., plaza in honor of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was killed during a campus event in Utah earlier this year. Her proposal would designate the location as the “Charlie Kirk Freedom of Speech Plaza,” replacing the previous Black Lives Matter plaza designation that was removed after Trump took office in January 2025.
Announcing the bill, Mace described Kirk as a defender of free speech and called his death “an attack not just on one man, but on the fundamental American principle” of open civic discourse. She said the memorial would preserve his legacy and commitment to First Amendment rights for future generations.
