Nancy Mace facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nancy Mace
Official portrait, 2020
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Joe Cunningham
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 99th district
In office January 23, 2018 – November 8, 2020
Preceded by	James Merrill
Succeeded by	Mark Smith
Personal details
Born	Nancy Ruth Mace (1977-12-04) December 4, 1977 (age 47) Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Chris Niemiec ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2002)​ Curtis Jackson ​ ​ (m. 2004; div. 2019)​
Children	2
Education	The Citadel (BS) University of Georgia (MS)

Nancy Ruth Mace (born December 4, 1977) is an American politician. She serves as a U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 1st congressional district. She has held this position since 2021. Nancy Mace is a member of the Republican Party.

In 1999, she made history. She became the first woman to graduate from the Corps of Cadets program at The Citadel. This is a military college in South Carolina. From 2018 to 2020, she represented the 99th district in the South Carolina House of Representatives. This area includes Hanahan, northeast Mount Pleasant, and Daniel Island. In 2020, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. This made her the first Republican woman from South Carolina to be elected to Congress.

Mace worked for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. However, she strongly spoke out against his actions during the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack. She said that Trump's actions had "wiped out" his legacy. She also said he should be held "accountable." But she later voted against removing him from office. In 2024, she supported him in the Republican presidential primary.

Early Life and Education

Nancy Mace was born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Her father was a U.S. Army officer. Her mother was a schoolteacher.

In 1999, she earned a degree in business administration. She was the first woman to graduate from The Citadel's Corps of Cadets program. Mace wrote a book about her experience. It is called In the Company of Men: A Woman at The Citadel.

Mace also earned a master's degree. She studied journalism and mass communication. She got this degree from the University of Georgia. In 2008, Mace started her own business. It was a consulting company called The Mace Group.

Political Career Beginnings

Mace first ran for the United States Senate in South Carolina in 2014. She wanted to be the Republican Party's candidate. During her campaign, she was against the Affordable Care Act. She said it should be stopped.

Mace also worked for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. She helped him in South Carolina.

Serving in South Carolina

Nancy Mace served in the South Carolina House of Representatives. She represented District 99.

Becoming a State Representative

In 2017, Mace ran in a special election. The seat was open because the previous representative resigned. She won the Republican primary after a close runoff election.

Mace then won the general election in January 2018. She defeated her Democratic opponent. She officially took office on January 23, 2018. In 2018, she was re-elected to her seat.

Key Actions in the State House

Mace worked on important issues. She helped create a bill to stop offshore drilling off South Carolina's coast. She was against President Trump's plan for oil drilling in that area.

The Conservation Voters of South Carolina gave Mace a perfect rating. This was for her votes against offshore drilling. The South Carolina Club for Growth also honored her. They gave her the 2019 Tax Payer Hero Award.

In May 2020, Governor Henry McMaster signed a bill Mace supported. This new law stops the shackling of pregnant women in prison.

U.S. House of Representatives

Nancy Mace was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020. She represents South Carolina's 1st congressional district.

Winning Elections

In 2019, Mace announced she would run for Congress. She aimed for the seat held by Democrat Joe Cunningham. She won the Republican primary in June 2020. She focused her campaign on banning offshore drilling. She also wanted to help South Carolina's economy.

In the November 2020 election, Mace defeated Cunningham. She started her term on January 3, 2021.

In 2022, Mace ran for re-election. She had criticized President Trump for the January 6, 2021, attack. Because of this, Trump supported another candidate against her. However, Mace won the Republican primary. She then defeated her Democratic opponent in the general election.

Working in Congress

Her Relationship with Donald Trump

Mace was one of a few Republicans who did not support challenging the 2020 election results. She was worried about the tense situation in Washington, D.C. She even sent her children home before the vote.

After the 2021 United States Capitol attack, Mace asked Trump to condemn it. She asked him to stop using Twitter. However, she voted against removing Trump from office. She said the proper legal steps were not followed. Later, she defended Trump when he faced charges for handling classified documents. In 2024, Mace supported Trump in the Republican primaries.

Working with Other Lawmakers

In 2021, Mace spoke out against another Republican congresswoman. She criticized comments made about a Muslim Democrat.

In October 2023, Mace voted to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. McCarthy was a strong supporter of Mace. After his removal, Mace spoke to the media. She called him "a loser." This surprised some Republicans in her district. They wondered why she turned against her ally.

In January 2024, Mace spoke during a hearing. She called Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden's son, an example of "White privilege."

New Laws and Bills

Mace voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This bill provided COVID-19 relief.

In May 2021, Mace voted against the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. This bill aimed to stop hate against Asian-Americans. Mace said she opposed it because it did not address discrimination in higher education.

In February 2023, Mace helped introduce a bill. It is called the Reinvesting in Shoreline Economies and Ecosystems Act. This bill aims to share money from offshore wind power with states. The money would be used for coastal protection.

In October 2023, a cybersecurity bill passed the House. It was named the MACE Act. This bill updates job requirements for federal cybersecurity.

In April 2024, Mace introduced the Preventing Animal Abuse and Waste Act. This bill aims to stop research that causes pain to dogs and cats. It also asks for reports on such experiments.

Focus on Media Attention

Many of Mace's former staff members have said she focuses a lot on media attention. They believe her actions, like her vote against McCarthy, are often to get headlines. Staffers said she tried to get attention during the January 6 Capitol attack.

Mace's staff handbook showed a strong focus on public image. It asked communications staff to book her on national TV often. Her office has had many staff changes.

Redrawing Voting Districts

After the 2020 census, South Carolina changed its voting map. A court ruled that Mace's district was redrawn unfairly. It moved many Black voters out of her district. This was seen as an attempt to reduce their voting power.

The NAACP challenged this map. However, the Supreme Court later said the map was allowed. The Court said the changes were for political reasons, not racial discrimination. Mace said the ruling confirmed that the district line was not based on race.

Looking into Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena

Nancy Mace is the Chairwoman of a House subcommittee. This committee looks into cybersecurity and government innovation. She has led hearings on UAPs (also known as UFOs). She wants more government transparency on this topic.

In a July 2023 hearing, Mace questioned a former intelligence official. She asked about recovered nonhuman craft. In November 2024, Mace criticized the Pentagon. She said they were not sharing the truth about UAPs.

Her Committee Roles

Mace is part of several important committees:

• Committee on Armed Services
• Committee on Oversight and Accountability
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Groups She Belongs To

Mace is also a member of various groups in Congress:

• Congressional Blockchain Caucus
• Climate Solutions Caucus
• Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans
• Rare Disease Caucus

Her Political Views

Nancy Mace has shown different political views over time. She worked for Donald Trump in 2016. Then she criticized him after the January 6 attack. Later, she became more supportive of him again.

D.C. Statehood

In April 2021, Mace was against making District of Columbia a state. She said D.C. was too small to be a state.

LGBT Rights

Mace supports both religious freedom and gay marriage. She has said she strongly supports LGBTQ rights and equality. She believes no one should face discrimination.

She voted for a bill to help LGBTQ businesses get credit. She was also the only Republican to support a bill for LGBTQ veterans. This bill would create a center for LGBTQ veterans. It would help with policies affecting them.

In July 2022, Mace was one of 47 Republicans to vote for the Respect for Marriage Act. This law protects the right to same-sex marriage. She said, "If gay couples want to be as happily or miserably married as straight couples, more power to them."

Foreign Policy

In June 2021, Mace voted to end a military authorization in Iraq. This authorization was from 2002.

During the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Mace wrote an article. She was against military involvement. But she later said she was open to a partial "No Fly Zone." She voted for a bill that gave $40 billion in aid to Ukraine.

Gun Rights

After a school shooting in 2022, Mace called for action on gun laws. She said both parties needed to work together. She believes that basic steps are needed to keep children safe in schools.

Liz Cheney

Mace first opposed removing Liz Cheney from her leadership role. She said that different opinions should not be silenced. However, during a second attempt, Mace voted to remove Cheney.

Defense

In September 2021, Mace voted for a defense bill. This bill included a rule that would require women to register for the military draft.

Contempt of Congress

In October 2021, Mace voted to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress. This was because he did not follow a subpoena. Mace said she wanted to be "consistent." She wanted Congress to have the power to demand information.

Personal Life

Nancy Mace was married to Chris Niemiec. They later divorced. She then married Curtis Jackson. They had two children together. They divorced in 2019. Mace was engaged to Patrick Bryant in 2022. But they broke up in 2023.

Mace lives in Charleston, South Carolina. In 2021, her home was vandalized. It had graffiti supporting a labor bill.

Mace is a non-denominational Protestant. She attends a large church in South Carolina.

Images for kids

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  South Carolina House District 99 special election, 2018

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  Nancy Mace vs. Jen Gibson, general election in South Carolina 99th House District on November 6, 2018