U.S. Representative Nancy Mace has officially launched her bid for governor of South Carolina in the 2026 election. She announced her candidacy at The Citadel in Charleston, where she became the first woman to graduate from the military college’s Corps of Cadets in 1999. This choice of venue underscores a theme of her campaign: breaking barriers while upholding what she sees as conservative values.
Framing herself as “Trump in high heels,” Mace aims not just to align with Donald Trump but to embody his combative, populist style in a state where his influence remains strong. Her messaging sends a clear signal to the far-right base of the Republican Party that she intends to carry their banner.
Her platform blends fiscal conservatism with hot-button cultural issues. She is calling for the elimination of the state income tax and a major overhaul of the judiciary. She has also prioritized expanding school choice and parental rights. Among her most controversial proposals is a ban on transgender youth participating in school sports or using facilities aligned with their gender identity; a position that places her firmly in step with national efforts to roll back LGBTQ+ rights. On the campaign trail, Mace has framed these positions as a fight against “corruption, career politicians and the woke mob.”
Mace joins a crowded Republican primary that includes Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Attorney General Alan Wilson and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman. Early polling points to Evette and Wilson as early frontrunners, but Mace brings a national profile and a loyal grassroots following, built through regular cable news appearances and her reputation for provocative statements. While Trump has not yet issued an endorsement, her campaign launch video featured a clip of the former president calling her “a fighter.”
Mace’s record on LGBTQ+ issues has shifted significantly over the past few years. Once considered a moderate, she supported the Fairness for All Act and voiced support for same-sex marriage. By 2023, however, she had begun openly aligning with anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. In 2025, she publicly called herself a “proud transphobe” and introduced legislation targeting transgender access to restrooms on federal property, singling out Delaware State Sen. Sarah McBride by name.
Critics say her language has crossed into misinformation and hate speech. She has also been accused of using burner accounts to coordinate online attacks and has faced scrutiny for avoiding in-person town halls in her district.
If elected, Mace would become the second woman to serve as South Carolina’s governor, following Nikki Haley. Her candidacy, marked by ideological polarization and high-profile rhetoric, sets the stage for a fiercely contested GOP primary that will be closely watched both statewide and nationally.