Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., a headline-making lawmaker now running for governor of South Carolina, is reportedly drawing fresh attention following a candid Politico profile that explores her personal history, political evolution and relationship with President Donald Trump.
In the piece, author Michael Kruse describes Mace as someone who views herself through the lens of survival and resilience, portraying her life experiences as the foundation of her political identity. According to the profile, Mace sees her past trauma not as an obstacle but as the driving force behind her rise in public life.
Kruse writes that Mace regards Trump as a “father figure” and seeks his “approval,” a dynamic that the article suggests plays a role in her political trajectory. The profile recounts Mace sharing data about her fundraising, polling and name recognition — including comparisons to prominent South Carolina figures such as Lindsey Graham, Tim Scott and Nikki Haley.
“I have more name ID and branding than three former people that ran for president,” Mace said, according to the article, referencing charts she created to track her political standing.
She told the reporter she sent the data directly to Trump.
“You sent all that to your father figure?” Kruse asked.
“Mmhmm,” Mace responded.
When pressed further about whether she was seeking an endorsement or something deeper, Mace acknowledged that approval was part of the motivation.
“I think part of it’s acknowledgment,” she said. “Acknowledgment that I’m doing well. Approval.”
The profile also revisits Mace’s personal history, which she has spoken about publicly in the past. It recounts her difficult relationship with her father, sexual abuse she says she endured as a teenager, and her experience as the first female graduate of The Citadel’s formerly all-male Corps of Cadets. It also references speeches she delivered about surviving rape.
Kruse argues that these experiences have shaped both Mace’s political style and public persona, suggesting that her outspoken nature, shifting political positions and confrontational tactics have, in some ways, fueled her rise rather than hindered it.
Mace first won election to Congress as a relatively moderate Republican. Following the January 6 Capitol riot, she strongly criticized Trump and said he needed to be held “accountable,” though she ultimately did not vote to impeach him. In the years since, she endorsed Trump early in the 2024 Republican presidential primary and has steadily moved to the right, becoming known nationally for attention-grabbing moments and blunt rhetoric.
The Politico profile paints Mace as a polarizing but ambitious figure, drawing parallels between her style and Trump’s, while highlighting her stated desire for recognition from the former president.
As she campaigns for governor in the Palmetto State, Mace’s evolving relationship with Trump and her own account of perseverance are likely to remain central themes. The profile underscores the personal and political dynamics that continue to shape one of South Carolina’s most talked-about Republicans.
