Nancy Ruth Mace is an American politician, businesswoman, author and public relations professional who serves as the U.S. representative for South Carolina’s 1st congressional district. A member of the Republican Party, she entered the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2021 after previously serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives. She is also known for becoming the first woman to graduate from The Citadel’s Corps of Cadets program.
Born on December 4, 1977, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Mace was raised in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Her path into politics followed an unusual combination of military-college education, communications work, entrepreneurship and electoral campaigns. Before entering Congress, she worked in public relations and real estate and founded a company involved in technology, marketing, public relations and commercial real estate.
Mace became nationally known through her political campaigns and outspoken participation in congressional debates on government spending, veterans’ affairs, national security, women’s issues and other policy questions. In September 2026, she attracted fresh attention after becoming the 218th and final member needed to sign a House discharge petition for the Major Richard Star Act, allowing the measure to move toward a full House vote.
Nancy Mace Profile Summary
| Personal Information | Details |
| Full name | Nancy Ruth Mace |
| Date of birth | December 4, 1977 |
| Age | 48 years old |
| Birthplace | Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican Party |
| Current position | U.S. Representative for South Carolina’s 1st congressional district |
| In Congress since | January 3, 2021 |
| Previous political office | South Carolina House of Representatives, 2018-2020 |
| Education | The Citadel; University of Georgia |
| Bachelor’s degree | B.A., The Citadel, 1999 |
| Master’s degree | M.S., University of Georgia, 2004 |
| Profession | Politician, businesswoman, author, public relations professional |
| Children | Two |
| Religion | Christian |
| @nancyrmace | |
| Known for | First woman to graduate from The Citadel’s Corps of Cadets; U.S. representative from South Carolina |
Nancy Mace Early Life
Nancy Ruth Mace was born on December 4, 1977, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, to James E. Mace and Anne J. Mace. Her family later settled in South Carolina, where she was raised in the Lowcountry. Her father was a retired Army general, while her mother was a school teacher. Growing up in a military-oriented family influenced her connection to The Citadel and the military culture that later became an important part of her public identity.
Mace attended Stratford High School in Goose Creek, South Carolina, but left high school at 17. Rather than ending her education, she completed high-school requirements through courses at Trident Technical College in North Charleston. Her official congressional biography describes this period as the beginning of a longer educational journey that eventually took her to The Citadel and the University of Georgia.
Her early working life also helped shape her later career. After leaving high school, Mace worked as a waitress at a Waffle House in South Carolina before continuing her education and entering communications and business. Her story of moving from an early high-school exit to graduating from The Citadel with honors later became an important part of her public biography.
Nancy Mace Education
Mace attended Trident Technical College before enrolling at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. She graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude. Her time at The Citadel was historic because she became the first woman to graduate from the institution’s Corps of Cadets program.
After The Citadel, Mace continued her education at the University of Georgia. She received a master’s degree in 2004. Congressional and state records identify the degree as an M.S., while other biographical profiles describe her graduate training as journalism and mass communication. Her education subsequently connected with her work in public relations, communications and political media.
Her experience at The Citadel remained central to her public identity. The institution’s military environment, together with her later graduate education and professional work in communications, gave her a background that combined military culture, business and media. She subsequently wrote In the Company of Men: A Woman at The Citadel, a book published by Simon & Schuster in 2001 about her experience at the institution.
Nancy Mace Career
Business and Public Relations Career
Before becoming a full-time politician, Mace developed a career in public relations, marketing and business. She worked as a public relations consultant and later established her own company in 2008. Her business interests included technology, public relations, marketing and commercial real estate. She also worked as a real estate broker.
Her communications background became useful as she moved into political campaigning. Mace was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014, when she challenged Senator Lindsey Graham for the Republican nomination. She later worked as a presidential campaign aide before making another run for elected office.
South Carolina House of Representatives
Mace entered state politics in 2018 after winning a special election for South Carolina House District 99. She subsequently served in the South Carolina House through 2020. Her state-level work included issues involving government spending, conservation and other matters affecting South Carolina.
During her time in the state legislature, Mace became involved in debates over abortion legislation and exceptions for rape and incest. She also supported efforts relating to South Carolina’s coastline and opposed offshore drilling proposals. These positions became part of her broader political record before she moved to federal office.
U.S. House of Representatives
In 2020, Mace won election to the U.S. House from South Carolina’s 1st congressional district. She took office on January 3, 2021, and has subsequently been elected to additional terms. The House’s official historical records list her as serving in the 117th, 118th and 119th Congresses.
In the 119th Congress, Mace serves on the House Armed Services Committee, House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Her subcommittee assignments include Intelligence and Special Operations, Military Personnel, Seapower and Projection Forces, Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, Technology Modernization, Federal Law Enforcement, and Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation. She chairs the latter cybersecurity subcommittee.
Her congressional work has covered military affairs, veterans’ benefits, cybersecurity, government oversight and federal law enforcement. Her office reported that she secured 29 amendments during the FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act markup in June 2026, covering subjects including military readiness, accountability and issues affecting service members and their families.
Political Positions and Public Profile
Mace has developed a public profile around conservative positions on government spending, regulation, national security and social issues. Her official congressional biography describes her as a supporter of economic policies aimed at limiting tax increases and regulations. Her record has also included work on conservation and veterans’ issues.
Her political career has sometimes included disagreements with members of her own party as well as with Democrats. Her public positioning has changed on some issues over time, particularly as the Republican Party and South Carolina’s congressional politics have evolved. These shifts have made her voting record and public statements subjects of substantial political coverage.
Nancy Mace Trending: Why Is Nancy Mace Famous?
Nancy Mace is trending in September 2026 after becoming the 218th and final member to sign the discharge petition for the Major Richard Star Act. The U.S. House Clerk’s official record lists her signature as number 218, dated September 15, 2026. Reaching 218 signatures allows the discharge procedure to move forward and forces the House to consider bringing the bill to the floor.
The Major Richard Star Act concerns veterans with combat-related disabilities. The legislation would allow eligible veterans to receive their full military retirement pay alongside disability compensation without the reduction that can apply under current rules. Mace announced that she had signed the petition on September 16 and described the measure as addressing benefits for combat-injured veterans.
The development received bipartisan attention because the 218th signature crossed the threshold required for a discharge petition. Reporting from Roll Call noted that Mace, a Republican, provided the final signature needed for the petition to reach the threshold after a group of lawmakers had worked to bring the veterans’ legislation to the House floor.
Nancy Mace Personal Life
Nancy Mace has two children, Miles and Ellison. South Carolina legislative records identify her as the mother of two children. She has generally kept much of her family life separate from her congressional work, although her experience as a mother has sometimes appeared in discussions surrounding her positions on women’s issues and education.
Mace was previously married to Chris Niemiec, a lawyer and U.S. Air Force Reserve JAG officer. She later married Curtis Jackson, with whom she had her two children. That marriage ended in divorce in 2019. She subsequently became engaged to Charleston businessman Patrick Bryant in 2022, but the engagement ended in 2023.
Her later relationship with Bryant became the subject of public and legal disputes. In 2025, Mace made allegations concerning Bryant and other men in a speech on the House floor, while the men denied the allegations. One of the men subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit against her. Because these matters involve disputed allegations and ongoing legal proceedings, the claims should be distinguished from established findings of fact.
Nancy Mace Age, Religion, Nationality, Height and Physical Appearance
Nancy Mace was born on December 4, 1977, making her 48 years old in September 2026. She was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and was raised in South Carolina. She is an American citizen and represents South Carolina’s 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Mace publicly identifies as a Christian and has frequently referred to her Christian faith in public statements. Her faith has been part of her public identity and political communication, although specific denominational information is not consistently documented in official congressional biographies.
Her exact height is not consistently documented in reliable official sources, so a precise figure should not be treated as established fact. She is recognizable for her short blonde hairstyle and, more recently, for prominent tattoos on both arms, which she displayed publicly in 2026.
Nancy Mace Net Worth
Nancy Mace’s exact net worth is not publicly established because members of Congress disclose their assets and liabilities in ranges rather than publishing an independently audited personal balance sheet. Public financial-disclosure records therefore allow estimates but not a precise net-worth figure. Her most recent House financial disclosure for the 2025 filing year was filed in August 2026.
One current congressional-finance database, using disclosed financial ranges, estimates Mace’s net worth at approximately $354,800 as of August 2026, with a disclosed range of roughly $191,600 to $518,000. This should be treated as an estimate derived from public disclosures rather than a confirmed personal net-worth statement.
Her income and financial activity have also included work outside elected office. Before entering Congress, she worked in public relations, technology, marketing and real estate, while her political career has provided congressional compensation. Her campaign finances are separate from her personal finances, and the Federal Election Commission reported $452,863.38 in receipts and $1.04 million in disbursements for her authorized campaign committee between January 2025 and June 2026.
Nancy Mace Legacy
Nancy Mace’s historical significance is closely connected to her education at The Citadel. In 1999, she became the first woman to graduate from the institution’s Corps of Cadets program, an achievement that preceded her political career by more than two decades. Her subsequent career placed that experience within a broader path from communications and business into state and federal politics.
Her congressional career has also made her part of South Carolina’s modern political history. She became the first Republican woman from South Carolina elected to the U.S. House, and she has continued to serve the state’s 1st congressional district since 2021. Her committee assignments have increasingly included national security, veterans’ affairs, cybersecurity and government oversight.
As of 2026, Mace’s public record continues to develop through her work in Congress, committee activity and participation in high-profile legislative debates. Her September 2026 role in reaching the 218-signature threshold for the Major Richard Star Act is one of the latest developments in that record and places her among the lawmakers involved in the bill’s path toward a House vote.
Conclusion
Nancy Mace’s biography spans education at The Citadel, communications and business, South Carolina state politics and federal office in Washington. Her historic status as the first woman to graduate from The Citadel’s Corps of Cadets remains a defining part of her background, while her current congressional work focuses on areas including veterans’ affairs, military policy, cybersecurity and government oversight. In September 2026, her decision to provide the 218th signature on the Major Richard Star Act discharge petition placed her at the center of renewed congressional attention surrounding veterans’ benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nancy Mace
How old is Nancy Mace?
Nancy Mace is 48 years old in 2026. She was born on December 4, 1977, in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Who is Nancy Mace?
Nancy Mace is an American Republican politician and businesswoman who has represented South Carolina’s 1st congressional district in the U.S. House since January 2021.
What is Nancy Mace famous for?
Nancy Mace is known for being the first woman to graduate from The Citadel’s Corps of Cadets and for her career in South Carolina and federal politics. She is also currently known for becoming the 218th and final signer of the Major Richard Star Act discharge petition in September 2026.
What did Nancy Mace study?
Nancy Mace earned a bachelor’s degree from The Citadel in 1999 and a master’s degree from the University of Georgia in 2004.
Is Nancy Mace married?
Nancy Mace is divorced. She was previously married to Chris Niemiec and later Curtis Jackson, with whom she has two children. She was subsequently engaged to Patrick Bryant, but the engagement ended in 2023.
How many children does Nancy Mace have?
Nancy Mace has two children, Miles and Ellison.
What is Nancy Mace’s political party?
Nancy Mace is a member of the Republican Party and represents South Carolina’s 1st congressional district in the U.S. House.
What happened with the Major Richard Star Act?
On September 15, 2026, Nancy Mace became the 218th and final signer of a discharge petition for the Major Richard Star Act. Reaching 218 signatures allows the House discharge procedure to force consideration of the legislation on the House floor.
What is Nancy Mace’s net worth?
A current estimate based on congressional financial disclosures puts Nancy Mace’s net worth at about $354,800, but this is an estimate rather than an officially declared personal net-worth figure.