Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina finds herself in a political storm as a key campaign consultant walks away with sharp accusations of disloyalty to President Trump’s vision.
Austin McCubbin, a former advisor to Mace and operator of Trump’s South Carolina efforts in 2024, publicly resigned from her team Monday, claiming she has abandoned the MAGA movement to align with the Rand Paul and Thomas Massie faction, The Hill reported.
McCubbin aired his grievances on X, stating, “Nancy Mace has yet again decided to turn her back on MAGA to hug the political cactus that is the Rand Paul + Thomas Massie wing of the Party.” His words paint a vivid picture of betrayal, suggesting Mace is trading core Trump principles for a fringe alliance that often clashes with the broader Republican base.
Last month, the Rand Paul-affiliated Protect Freedom PAC began funneling money into Mace’s campaign without McCubbin’s prior knowledge. He initially dismissed it as independent action, but his perspective shifted after a revealing conversation with Mace last Wednesday.
During their discussion, Mace reportedly confirmed her full embrace of the Rand Paul PAC, even directing a personal friend to fund a seven-figure contribution to it. McCubbin’s alarm at this move fell on deaf ears, as he claims she brushed off his concerns and accused him of “mansplaining.”
This financial entanglement with a group tied to Rand Paul, whose libertarian leanings often diverge from Trump’s agenda, raises eyebrows about Mace’s true priorities. Her apparent willingness to court such support hints at a calculated gamble, perhaps prioritizing cash over cohesion with the MAGA faithful.
Mace’s campaign fired back at McCubbin, suggesting his public outburst stems from a personal grudge over money. A spokesperson declared, “Mr. McCubbin didn’t raise a dime for the campaign or better yet, never even bothered showing up,” adding that his demand for a $10,000 monthly fee was rejected, prompting his exit to social media.
The campaign’s retort paints McCubbin as a disgruntled opportunist, yet it sidesteps the core issue of Mace’s alleged alignment with a faction many Trump supporters view with suspicion. Their defense, while biting, leaves unanswered questions about why outside funds from Paul’s orbit are flowing in at all.
Further muddying the waters, the spokesperson insisted, “Nancy Mace has stood with President Trump since Day ONE.” Such a claim feels hollow when her advisor’s accusations and reported actions suggest a drift toward a wing of the party that often critiques Trump’s policies.
Mace is vying for the Republican nomination for South Carolina governor in a packed primary field that includes Attorney General Alan Wilson, Rep. Ralph Norman, state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. With the GOP primary winner almost guaranteed to claim the general election next year, every move in this race carries outsized weight.
President Trump has yet to endorse a candidate, leaving the door open for Mace to either solidify her standing with his base or alienate it further with her apparent alliances. Her history of bucking party lines, like voting to oust then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023, already marks her as a wildcard in this contest.
More recently, she joined a small group of Republicans in supporting a discharge petition to force the Justice Department to release information tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s case, a move that passed after Trump’s backing. While this aligns with the transparency many voters crave, it also underscores her tendency to stray from the pack, often at her own peril.
For Mace, this latest controversy could signal either a savvy pivot to broaden her appeal or a fatal miscalculation in a state where Trump’s influence looms large. South Carolina’s Republican voters tend to reward loyalty to the MAGA banner, and any whiff of deviation might cost her dearly in the primary.
Her campaign’s insistence on unwavering support for Trump clashes with McCubbin’s detailed claims of a deliberate shift toward Rand Paul’s sphere. If true, this move risks fracturing her base at a time when unity could be the deciding factor in a crowded field.
Ultimately, Mace’s path forward hinges on whether she can convince voters that her actions reflect principle over pragmatism. In a political landscape where allegiance to Trump often defines success, her flirtation with a dissenting faction might just be the cactus McCubbin warned about, pricking her chances before the race truly heats up.
