Four challenges Nancy Mace faces in South Carolina governor bid

Nancy Mace faces significant challenges as she considers a run for South Carolina governor. Legal troubles have surfaced, with lawyers for an accused man demanding she provide evidence for her rape and voyeurism allegations or face a defamation suit. Politically, her sharp criticism of Attorney General Alan Wilson, another likely contender, has drawn harsh responses and made headlines.

Mace is also working to expand her appeal across the state as she tours South Carolina and ramps up her conservative rhetoric. Meanwhile, her personal story and the public reaction to her allegations reflect both societal skepticism and support, complicating her bid for higher office.

Republican South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace speaks during a visit to the Richland County GOP meeting. By Tracy Glantz

NO. 1: SC’S MACE ACCUSES AG WILSON OF NOT PROSECUTING HEINOUS CRIMES AGAINST HER AND OTHER WOMEN

Congresswoman Nancy Mace said she found nonconsensual photos and videos of women and underage girls undressed, and a video of the rape of an unconscious woman on the phone of someone she used to be close to. | Published February 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos

Attorney General Alan Wilson speaks about a human trafficking victim protection bill before a ceremonial bill signing in the lobby of the State House on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. By Tracy Glantz

NO. 2: SC WILSON’S OFFICE SAYS RAPE ALLEGATIONS MADE BY MACE WERE NEVER SENT TO HIS OFFICE

Alan Wilson’s office said Congresswoman Nancy Mace’s characterization of the attorney general’s office are “categorically false.” | Published February 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., listens during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building on Feb. 1, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/TNS)

NO. 3: WE SHOULD TAKE NANCY MACE’S ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS SERIOUSLY AND WAIT FOR THE FACTS | OPINION

Columnist Issac Bailey writes no woman should ever have to experience what Mace said she and others have, but her criticism of Alan Wilson seemed odd. | Published February 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Issac Bailey

NO. 4: ‘BETRAYAL AND LIES.’ US REP. NANCY MACE’S EX-FIANCE REACTS TO HER SEX ABUSE ALLEGATIONS

In a speech on the House floor Monday, Mace accused her ex-fiance and three other men of engaging in rape and voyeurism. | Published February 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos

NO. 5: NANCY MACE’S NEW CRITICISM OF ALAN WILSON IS OFF BASE. GET READY FOR A NASTY SC GOVERNOR’S RACE. | OPINION

Read parts of Rep. Nancy Mace’s stunning House floor speech and South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s response in Matthew T. Hall’s new column. | Published February 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Matthew T. Hall

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., speaks during a hearing with the House Oversight and Accountability committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on April 11, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/TNS)

NO. 6: I CAN’T SPEAK TO REP. NANCY MACE’S ALLEGATIONS. I WILL DEFEND HER RIGHT TO MAKE THEM, ANYWHERE. | OPINION

In a new commentary, Jackie Morfesis writes that she is tired of hearing the “same old outworn, tone-deaf, coldhearted responses to anyone’s testimony of pain.” | Published February 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jackie Morfesis

NO. 7: ONE OF THE MEN ACCUSED BY SC’S MACE CHALLENGES HER TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF RAPE, VOYEURISM

“You upended Brian (Musgrave’s) life when you accused him falsely of being a rapist, a predator and a sex trafficker,” attorneys Eric Bland and Ronald Richter wrote. “He is none of those things.” | Published February 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos

NO. 8: SC’S MACE SAYS WILSON HAS ONLY ATTACKED HER SINCE HER FLOOR SPEECH. HERE’S WHAT HE HAS SAID

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace and Attorney General Alan Wilson, both Republicans, are both considering runs for governor in the 2026 election. | Published March 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos

NO. 9: MAN WHO SAYS REP. NANCY MACE LIED ABOUT HIS SEX CRIME INVOLVEMENT SUES HER FOR LIBEL

Lawyers for a man who says Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Charleston, falsely accused him of being a sex trafficker made good on their promise to file a lawsuit against Mace if she didn’t apologize and retract her statement. They filed suit Friday, March 14. | Published March 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by John Monk

NO. 10: SC’S NANCY MACE DECRIES DECISION TO WITHDRAW CHARGES AGAINST MAN SHE ACCUSED OF ASSAULT

Congresswoman Nancy Mace accused a youth advocate and transgender activist of assaulting her in December at an event at the U.S. Capitol. | Published April 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos

NO. 11: SC’S MACE SAYS 1 OF 4 MEN SHE ACCUSED CHARGED WITH HARASSMENT, STALKING IN SEPARATE CASE

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has said the case brought by Nancy Mace has been under investigation. | Published April 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Bustos Noah Feit

U.S. Representative Nancy Mace speaks during a program sponsored by Turning Point USA on Monday, April, 21, 2025. The event was held at Russell House on The University of South Carolina. By Tracy Glantz

NO. 12: ‘I DON’T OWE AN APOLOGY.’ MACE DEFENDS EXPLETIVE EXCHANGE WITH SC CONSTITUENT

“It’s not the first time I’ve used that language, and it certainly won’t be the last time I use that language,” U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace said. | Published April 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Alexa Jurado

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace speaks during a program sponsored by Turning Point USA on Monday, April, 21, 2025, at Russell House on the University of South Carolina campus. By Tracy Glantz

NO. 13: NANCY MACE CURSING A CONSTITUENT SHOWS SHALLOWNESS, NOT STRENGTH | OPINION

Columnist Issac J. Bailey writes U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace’s argument with a man in a beauty shop over the weekend shows why she shouldn’t be governor of South Carolina. | Published April 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Issac J. Bailey

NO. 14: SC CONGRESSWOMAN NANCY MACE HOLDS BEAUFORT TOWN HALL. WAS IT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC?

The congresswoman was back in Beaufort County for a town hall days after a tense exchange over whether she attends enough such local events made the rounds on social media. | Published April 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Chloe Appleby

Congresswoman Nancy Mace attended a town hall of about 200 Dataw Island residents on April 23, 2025. By Chloe Appleby

NO. 15: WHAT DID REP. NANCY MACE SAY AT CLOSED-DOOR SOUTH CAROLINA TOWN HALL?

Rep. Nancy Mace discussed national issues, including Social Security and federal spending, during a town hall at a gated community in Beaufort. | Published April 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isabella Douglas

NO. 16: UPDATED: NANCY MACE SAYS CCU IS PROMOTING ‘CROSS-DRESSING’ ON THEIR WEBSITE. WHAT WE KNOW

Congresswoman Nancy Mace made a 15 second video about how CCU is allegedly promoting “cross dressing” on their website. See the video for yourself. | Published May 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Elizabeth Brewer

NO. 17: NANCY MACE SUES MAN SHE ACCUSED IN HOUSE FLOOR SPEECH FOR DEFAMATION

The lawsuit says the man defamed the South Carolina congresswoman in a series of social media posts. She previously accused him and three others of illegal activity in a congressional speech. | Published May 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Bristow Marchant

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.