Nancy Mace’s story doesn’t begin on Capitol Hill—it starts in a diner.

Before she made headlines as the first Republican woman elected to Congress from South Carolina, Nancy was waiting tables at Waffle House and piecing her life back together after dropping out of high school. Raised in Goose Creek by a decorated Army General and a public schoolteacher, grit and service were part of her upbringing—but the road ahead would be uniquely her own.

At 21, she became the first woman to graduate from The Citadel, a historic milestone for one of America’s most tradition-bound institutions. What followed wasn’t a straight line to politics—it was the world of business and tech.

Nancy launched and led a B2B tech marketing firm, combining storytelling with strategy for companies across the Southeast. She also worked in commercial real estate, honing the pragmatic lens she’d later bring to policymaking. Her career proved what many founders already know: entrepreneurship isn’t just about building something—it’s about surviving uncertainty, betting on yourself, and adapting constantly.

That same entrepreneurial mindset led her to run for public office in 2017—when few thought she’d win. She did. And in 2020, she made history again by flipping a congressional seat in South Carolina’s First District.

From record deficits to runaway regulations, Mace believes too many in Washington have never balanced a budget, signed the front of a paycheck, or dealt with red tape as a small business owner.

Nancy’s Plan for South Carolina (Federally & Locally):

Nancy is committed to reducing South Carolina’s state income tax to 0%, arguing that leaner government and smarter budgeting can put more money back into residents’ pockets while spurring economic growth.

She opposes sanctuary policies, supports strict enforcement of immigration laws, and prioritizes the deportation of undocumented individuals to ensure public safety and respect for legal authority.

Nancy supports policies aimed at making South Carolina energy independent through reliable, secure power infrastructure—reducing reliance on external or unstable energy sources.

As a single mother and former Citadel graduate, Nancy believes parents—not bureaucrats—should control their children’s education. She champions:

Nancy is a mother of a female athlete and former competitive swimmer who pushed for the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, advocating exclusion of biological males from women's athletics to preserve fairness. She also fights broader efforts to keep women’s spaces secure and free from coercive forces.

Despite the suits and speeches, Nancy still leads like a startup founder. She stays nimble, speaks plainly, and doesn't shy away from polarizing issues.

Whether you agree with her or not, there’s no question: she holds the line—on spending, on principle, and on her vision for South Carolina.

Nancy is doubling down on supporting entrepreneurs, small businesses, and tech innovators in the Charleston area. Her office has supported pro-business legislation and is constantly fielding input from founders, execs, and workers in the private sector. She believes Charleston can be a national model for tech-driven, freedom-friendly economic growth.

In a city built by entrepreneurs, Nancy’s story resonates: resilience, risk, reinvention.

She’s not just representing South Carolina in Washington—she’s representing the scrappy, build-it-yourself spirit that fuels much of the Lowcountry’s business ecosystem.

📍 District: SC-01 (Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Beaufort, and more)
📲 Instagram / Facebook / TikTok / X: @NancyMace
🌐 Website: nancymace.org