One of the most outspoken Republican members of Congress, Nancy Mace (Sc.), is thinking about running for governor of South Carolina in 2026.

Mace told the Associated Press she will ask for Trump's support, which if granted would likely seal the deal for her in the solidly pro-Trump state. Current South Carolina governor Henry McMaster is term limited.

Asking for Trump's help

Since winning her Lowcountry seat in 2020, Mace has seldom been completely out of the spotlight. She started out as one of Trump's most vocal Republican critics in Congress before embracing Trump. She also was one of the Republicans who voted to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which sparked a primary challenge that she overcame with Trump's help.

Mace has recently become known for seeking to bar men from women's bathrooms at the Capitol. She's also pushing legislation to support Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration, which could further raise her profile.

The Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act would keep aliens who commit sex crimes and other violent offenses out of the United States. The legislation passed the House last week.

"Trump is going to need people in governor seats in ’26," she told the AP. "It’s not going to be an easy election cycle for us. In ’26, we need people who can win, win big, and implement his agenda, and I will do that."

"I’ve been doing it. I have a great relationship with him, and I will be asking him for his support statewide in South Carolina.”

From Trump critic to backer

Mace's career has taken some zigzags. After the January 6th Capitol protest, she said Trump's legacy had been "wiped out" - a claim that turned out to be dead wrong - and called for him to be held "accountable," but she voted for his acquittal in his second impeachment.

She survived a primary challenge from a Trump-backed candidate in 2022. Mace supported Trump in 2024 over fellow South Carolina Republican and former governor Nikki Haley in the presidential primary.

With Trump's backing, Mace comfortably won re-election to a third term last fall in her Charleston-based district.

Other candidates for South Carolina governor are likely to include attorney general Allen Wilson and Lieutenant governor Pamela Evette.

“I will be moving around everywhere as I explore this, everywhere across the state," Mace said. "Anyone who will have me to talk about the agenda for South Carolina, I will meet them.”

“I believe I’ll have a better idea of where we’re going to be by the end of February, March, time-wise.”