Nancy Mace’s ex-aides alarmed by Rep's recent behavior, doubt her mental health: Report
WASHINGTON, DC: Concerns are mounting around Rep Nancy Mace after several former staffers privately shared fears about her mental health, saying her recent behavior shows signs of serious decline.
The worries come months after a string of public controversies that began in early 2025 and have continued to follow the South Carolina Republican since.
Former Nancy Mace aides say the focus shifted after House floor speech
Insiders say the turning point came in February, when Mace delivered a highly emotional House floor speech accusing her former fiance of physical and sexual assault, according to a report by the New York Magazine.
While the speech drew national attention, some former staffers believe it marked a deeper personal shift.
“Looking at the floor speech and what went on there, it’s very clear that that was the breaking point to me,” one former staffer said.
“Because you’ve now gone from standing up for people - whether rightfully, wrongfully, performative or not - you were on this mission, and now this is about you.”
“The whole frame shifted, and she centered herself in it all. That’s when it became apparent to me that this is broken.”
Another former staffer added: “She’s deteriorated, and it sucks.”
Allegations of toxic workplace behavior surface
Multiple former aides described a chaotic and intimidating work environment, claiming Mace routinely crossed professional boundaries and abused House rules.
According to the report, staffers were allegedly ordered to bring liquor to her home to keep parties going late into the night. Others said they were told to clean Mace’s Airbnb rental properties instead of a hired maid.
Several aides said she was obsessed with her online image and directed staffers to create burner accounts to defend her or promote her on Reddit forums focused on the “hottest women in Congress.”
“We were scared of her,” one former aide said. “She would make staffers cry. She would threaten to fire them, take their money away, not give them raises, not to give them days off, religious days.”
Another former staffer described the emotional toll of working closely with her.
“The closer you get to her, the harder she messes up your brain,” the aide said. “It’s a classic story of 'never meet your heroes'.”
Concerns grow over substance use and personal stability
Several former aides also expressed concern about Mace’s drinking and cannabis use, which they said sometimes appeared excessive.
All agreed that Mace was an extremely difficult boss.
“Something’s broken,” one former staffer said. “The motherboard’s fried. We’re short-circuiting somewhere.”
Another recalled reaching a breaking point just months into the job.
“After six months I was like, 'Man, this is one of the worst people I’ve ever met - I’m going to move back to South Carolina',” the former aide said.
Political fallout deepens as support drops
Mace’s political standing has also taken a hit.
Following her October outburst involving police officers at the Charleston airport, her support in the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary reportedly dropped to third or fourth place.
She is also facing a House Ethics Committee inquiry related to her lodging expenses, adding to her growing list of challenges.
Not everyone close to Mace is hostile, though.
Austin McCubbin, a former consultant who worked with her, said he hopes she steps away from the spotlight for her own sake.
“Unlike her disgruntled ex-staffer crew, I actually don’t hate her,” McCubbin said.
“I want the best for her. I think the best thing for her is to no longer be in the media all the time, and to enjoy private life outside of electoral politics.”
