South Carolina gubernatorial hopeful Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) was forced to abruptly cancel a scheduled speech on Thursday after her campaign rally drew only a handful of attendees.
According to My Horry News, Mace had been slated to speak before a local chapter of Moms for Liberty, a far-right group that organizers believed would attract a crowd of 100. Instead, just eight people showed up, leaving the congresswoman to quietly retreat backstage.
Witnesses said Mace ultimately abandoned her prepared speech, choosing instead to mingle with the few attendees and later field questions from reporters. The underwhelming turnout is an early embarrassment for Mace, who announced her bid for South Carolina governor on August 4.
With incumbent Republican Gov. Henry McMaster barred from running again due to term limits, five GOP contenders—including Mace—are vying for the state’s top job ahead of the November 3 election.
At her campaign launch, Mace leaned into her reputation as a firebrand. “I didn’t come to join the club. They don’t want me, and I don’t want them,” she declared. “I came to hold the line. They said stay quiet; I spoke up. They said Sit down; I stood up. They said play nice, and I fought back.”
Mace has been working to align herself closely with President Donald Trump, whom she has described as “Trump in heels.” She has railed against Democratic-led policies while signaling to Trump’s base that she is eager for his endorsement, ABC News reported.
Speaking after her flop event, Mace insisted that her campaign remains strong: “We’re winning by double digits everywhere, but particularly with folks who support the president.”
But her efforts to boost her profile have not always gone smoothly. Earlier this month, Mace clashed with a reporter during a Myrtle Beach town hall after being fact-checked on her claims about infrastructure funding tied to the Inflation Reduction Act.
The exchange grew heated after she was reminded that she had voted against the legislation. “You’re very confused,” Mace snapped, before accusing the reporter of being “a raging Democrat… a raging leftist with that kind of questioning.”
In another eyebrow-raising moment, Mace said she relaxes by watching ICE deportation raids—a remark that critics blasted online as demeaning and insensitive.
Despite Thursday’s poor showing, Mace appears determined to press forward, betting her “Trump in heels” branding will energize South Carolina’s conservative voters as the race heats up.