Fierce Focus #4: Rep. Nancy Mace (R.-SC)
From Waffle House waitress to South Carolina's first Republican Congresswoman
Sorry for being a day late with this week’s Fierce Focus! I’ve been dealing with a rotator cuff injury and this week has been full of doctor, insurance and physical therapy stuff!
I’ll admit it — I’ve been hard on freshman Rep. Nancy Mace.
Immediately after being sworn into office on January 3rd, Mace seemed to make an effort to be on every mainstream media cable show that would book her, often to bash Donald Trump or her own party. Courting leftist outlets like MSNBC and CNN rarely works out in the long run for Republicans, and usually is disastrous when you, inevitably, get on their bad side for not toeing their line.
With committee assignments in hand and the legislative session heating up, however, these TV appearances have dwindled in number and seem a tad more strategic (Fox, Newsmax) of late. And Rep. Mace redeemed herself somewhat last week when she unabashedly called out AOC for dramatically rewriting the events of January 6th. Media darling AOC and her “squad” of rampaging radicals have long needed a counterbalance, and it’s gratifying to see Nancy Mace take on that role with relish.
Let’s be honest … Nancy Mace has a compelling life story.
Born in Ft. Bragg, NC, and raised in the lowcountry of South Carolina, Mace seemed to have an all-American childhood. Until, that is, she was the victim of a sexual assault at age sixteen. This led to her dropping out of high school and, eventually, being encouraged by her parents to take a job as a waitress at the local Waffle House.
It’s at this point, it seems, that Mace decided she wouldn’t succumb to the victim mentality that is so often embraced by liberal women. No, she instead earned a spot The Citadel and became the first woman graduate of the famed military college. She even wrote a book about her experience, entitled In the Company of Men: A Woman at The Citadel.
She went on to run her own consulting firm and, in 2018, was elected to office for the first time by winning a sent in South Carolina’s state house. That was a springboard for her successful 2020 campaign to defeat Democrat incumbent Joe Cunningham in SC’s 1st congressional district.
Her arrival in DC has been a mixed bag, as I noted in last week’s newsletter:
“There are a few other media pieces about Mace to flag: this one that talks about how “Mace radiates authenticity and enthusiasm” and this one that says: “She is a maverick in the John McCain sense.” And it’s not meant as a compliment.”
She has not endeared herself to Trump fans, as she was once a vocal supporter of the former president but refused to support efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. She has, however, been willing to take on her liberal colleagues, which is something the media will never do. Also from last week’s newsletter:
The media lapdogs will give AOC and her fellow Squad members a pass every time, so a counter-balance was desperately needed. Nancy Mace’s own background is a testament to overcoming serious adversity, including a sexual assault, and shaking off the mantle of victimhood to achieve your goals. The opposite of AOC, who creates victimhood where there is none, thus minimizing the plight of actual assault victims. The NY Post has more:
“When you exaggerate it, or are dishonest about how you represent what happened, it waters down everyone else’s trauma,” Mace added.
And, let’s face it, if CNN’s Jake Tapper doesn’t like you, you’re probably doing something right.
Bio
Birthdate: December 4, 1977
Hometown: Goose Creek, S.C.
Congressional District: SC-01
Personal: Single mother to a son and a daughter
Years in politics: 2
Campaign slogan: “Lowcountry First”
Occupation: Before winning in South Carolina’s State House District 99 in 2018, Mace ran her own consulting firm
Education: The Citadel (B.S.); University of Georgia (M.S.)
Committee Assignments and Caucuses
House Transportation and Infrastructure
House Veterans Affairs
House Oversight and Reform
On the Issues
Pro-life; supports defunding Planned Parenthood
Supports defunding and repealing Obamacare
Supports school choice
Supports strengthening our southern border
Support tax cuts
Opposes offshore drilling
Where to Find Rep. Nancy Mace
Official website: https://mace.house.gov/
Campaign website: https://nancymace.org/
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepNancyMace
Personal/campaign Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyMace
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepNancyMace/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/repnancymace/
Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancyrmace/