Campaign Consultant Quits, Accusing Nancy Mace of Disloyalty to Trump, Dealing Blow

An official from Representative Nancy Maces campaign for governor in South Carolina announced his resignation on Monday, citing her shift away from strict MAGA principles. The aide, J. Austin McCubbin, accused Mace of collaborating with Republicans who have been critical of former President Trump, such as Senator Rand Paul and Representative Thomas Massie.

I am fully severing ties with her campaign due to loyalty to the President, McCubbin wrote on X, noting his previous work on both Trump and Mace campaigns. Paul has publicly opposed certain Trump administration policies, including extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean, while Massie has pushed for the release of the Epstein files.

McCubbin identified the final breaking point as a claim that Mace was directing a personal friend to contribute a seven-figure donation to Protect Freedom PAC, a pro-Paul political action committee that had previously supported her. According to The State, the PAC has spent $456,000 on ads in South Carolina benefiting Mace.

The resignation unfolds amid growing debates on foreign policy and the Epstein files, issues that have caused friction between Trump and some Republican lawmakers who had previously supported him.

McCubbin further advised Trump supporters in South Carolina to remove Mace from consideration, alleging that she had been recruited to assist a potential Paul 2028 campaign. The Mace campaign countered, stating that McCubbin had not actively contributed to fundraising and left the campaign after being denied a monthly payment of $10,000 for his services.

The resignation comes as Mace seeks Trumps endorsement for her gubernatorial bid. This occurs amid tension between the former president and his loyal Republican allies, including some in South Carolina. Mace hopes to avoid the path of Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who publicly fell out with Trump over the Epstein files and has chosen to resign rather than face a Trump-backed primary opponent.

Mace was among a few House Republicans who voted to trigger the release of the Epstein files, despite a phone call from Trump urging her not to. She cited her personal experience as a survivor of sexual violence as motivation to pursue transparency in the matter. We ran out of patience a long time ago, she later stated regarding her decision.

The fallout from the Epstein vote had already caused a public dispute between Trump and Greene. Reports indicate that other Republican lawmakers are also contemplating resignations, citing perceived dismissive treatment from the White House and congressional leadership.

Author: Sophia Brooks