Republican Rep. Nancy Mace took a tough loss in the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary and endured a string of public taunts from Democrats Ilhan Omar and Sarah McBride on X. The back-and-forth was blunt, personal, and loud, with Mace answering each jab in kind as she prepares to return to private life. That clash underlines how raw online politics can get, especially when tribal lines are crossed.
Mace announced her departure in a plain, unapologetic post and made her intentions clear to voters. “Headed back to the private sector at the end of this term, as the Founders intended. When I ran in 2020 I said I’d only serve 3 terms and my time is up. It’s truly been an immense honor and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else,” Mace wrote in a Wednesday on X. The message was simple: she’s moving on and sticking to the promise she made.
Ilhan Omar quickly seized on the moment and aimed a sharp barb at Mace on social media. Omar, who was born in Somalia, chimed in with a message that leaned on identity in a way many conservatives find hostile. “One-way ticket to where you came from with your name on it, Nancy,” the Democrat wrote in on X, adding a hand waving emoji.
https://x.com/NancyMace/status/2064709781437255890
Mace did not let the swipe go unanswered and responded with a personal putdown of her own. Mace at Omar, “Say what you want about me, but I would never marry my brother.” Her comeback was designed to land hard and keep the conversation centered on cultural differences and values.
The sparks between the two haven’t been new, and Mace had previously lobbed a similar line at Omar last year. Last year in a from her @RepNancyMace X account, Mace had declared, “One-way ticket to Somalia with your name on it, Ilhan Omar.” That earlier dig set the tone for the tit-for-tat exchanges that followed.
On the electoral front, Mace’s campaign fell short at the ballot box and she finished well down the list. Mace, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since early 2021, placed fifth in the Republican gubernatorial primary. The top two vote-getters, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson, will meet in a runoff to decide the GOP nominee.
Another Democrat, Delaware Rep. Sarah McBride, piled on with a dismissive reply that echoed the broader left-leaning glee over Mace’s defeat. McBride wrote “thoughts and prayers” in a Tuesday on X when responding to another account’s post that read, “Nancy Mace [handshake emoji] Riley Gaines” and added, “Conservative woman who placed 5th.” The tone from McBride read as celebratory rather than charitable.
The exchange even dragged in cultural controversies outside of politics to score points and ridicule. Riley Gaines and transgender swimmer Lia Thomas tied for fifth place in the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships 200-yard freestyle final. That athletic matchup has become shorthand in some conservative circles for debates over fairness and identity in sport.
Mace doubled down on cultural critiques in another public message that leaned hard into contrast and provocation. “Say what you want about us, but at least we’ve never been confused about what gender we are, and we’d never marry our brother,” a Wednesday on Mace’s @RepNancyMace X account declared. The line was meant to draw clear borders between her brand of conservatism and the views of her Democratic critics.
Darnell Thompkins is a conservative opinion writer from Atlanta, GA, known for his insightful commentary on politics, culture, and community issues. With a passion for championing traditional values and personal responsibility, Darnell brings a thoughtful Southern perspective to the national conversation. His writing aims to inspire meaningful dialogue and advocate for policies that strengthen families and empower individuals.