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by MARK POWELL
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The same question was being asked repeatedly on both sides of the Mason-Dixon at week’s end.
“What in the world is Nancy Mace doing in Manchester, New Hampshire?”
True, congress got a jumpstart on its August recess – and this is also prime vacation time for many Americans. But it’s different when you’re Nancy Mace – a high-profile congresswoman who says she plans to run for governor of South Carolina in 2026.
Shouldn’t Mace be back home launching her gubernatorial bid?
“It’s a head-scratcher for sure,” one veteran political observer told us.
Mace begins her northward tour with a “Politics and Eggs” event at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, which the New England Council cosponsors. Usually a breakfast gathering (hence the “eggs”), this one is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. EDT on Friday (July 25, 2025).
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“New Hampshire changed everything for President Trump in 2016, and they still love DJT today,” Mace wrote on X. “We’re not backing down. America First, always.”
She’ll follow that event up with a private fundraiser Friday evening at a Manchester hotel hosted by the New Hampshire Senate Republicans PAC and the Committee to Elect House Republicans. Ticket prices range from $100 for general admission to $1,000 for a VIP reception. Organizers reportedly described sales as “brisk.”
The timing of Mace’s out-of-state jaunt is curious. Congressman Ralph Norman is set to officially announce his entry into the 2026 GOP gubernatorial race on Sunday. Meanwhile, lieutenant governor Pamela Evette, state senator Josh Kimbrell, and attorney general Alan Wilson have likewise thrown their hats into the ring.
That leaves Mace as the only top-tier contender yet to formally declare her candidacy.
So… why is Mace in New Hampshire?
“I’ve been asked a dozen times today, ‘Why the hell is Nancy Mace coming to New Hampshire?’” a news editor there told us Thursday night. “All I can tell them is, ‘Beats me.’”
Ditto down in Dixie.
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RELATED | WILSON, MACE LEADING IN S.C. GOVERNOR’S POLL
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“The last time I checked, the New England Council membership doesn’t have a whole heck of a lot in common with South Carolina values,” a Palmetto Republican strategist said. “Could she be drawn by the temptation of moderate money to be easily picked up there? And if that’s the reason for the visit, is that really the look you want to have heading into a potentially contentious primary where you’ll be appealing to very conservative voters?”
Another South Carolina political operative speculates there’s a different reason.
“Nancy Mace fancies herself a vice presidential running mate in 2028, or even a cabinet pick,” the operative said. “She’s going up there in hopes of starting to build some buzz about herself before the race to succeed Trump begins. Good luck with that! Those Yankees will have forgotten her by the time she’s home and unpacked.”
Mace was briefly mentioned as a potential vice presidential contender in 2024, and a victory in the governor’s race in 2026 would immediately propel her into the national conversation ahead of the open 2028 presidential primary.
Count on FITSNews to keep tabs on all of these moving parts via our Crossroads 2026 coverage…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
J. Mark Powell is an award-winning former TV journalist, government communications veteran, and a political consultant. He is also an author and an avid Civil War enthusiast. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Email him at mark@fitsnews.com.
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3 comments
What possible legitimate interest does somebody in New Hamshire have in SC politics? I asked a similar question in 2011 when weeks or less after being sworn in as Governor, Nikki Haley was jetting off to Chicago and California, supposedly “for fund raising”. Just as important, what are these out-of-state “donors” expecting in return for their generosity? Or is it possible that Nancy threatened to accuse them of rape and voyeurism from the safety of The House floor if they don’t donate?
I have long said that male politicians are mostly scum, but female politicians take self-love, greed, and hunger for power, to levels above what the males could even imagine.
Nikki and Nancy are shining examples.
So far, we have some lackluster “choices” forming for the 2025 gubernatorial race. I would say Nancy is a definite “NO”.
Better headline: Attention Whore Seeks More Attention
I don’t think there is one SC politician who wouldn’t rather be anywhere else than in SC.