It’s an unsettling end to an interview that had initially passed the vibes (and Bechdel) test, having begun with a smiley exchange about the town hall, which was apparently very crowded and very hot. The two, laughing about how much they’d been sweating earlier, launched into what seemed a civil conversation. But things turned sour after the reporter fact-checked the congresswoman.
In a post on X, Mehdir Hasan summed up the entire exchange: “1) [Mace] lies about her record, 2) a reporter points out the lie, 3) she messes up her response, 4) then goes on a rant, and finally 5) plays the victim and plays a misogyny card.”
A spokesperson from Mace’s office told Jezebel that “Congresswoman Mace takes every question with no filter, and invites Americans from every political stripe to hear from her firsthand. [She] welcomes all viewpoints at her events, but if you are a risk to the safety of others or harass others, you’re out.” Which uh, didn’t answer our question (which was meant to be about Mace haranguing the reporter) so I’ll explain.
The town hall was the GOP representative’s first since joining South Carolina’s gubernatorial race, and a transparent ploy for the president’s endorsement: “I am Trump in high heels. I love what I am doing,” she said at the event.
Reportedly, those who were at the event to challenge the wannabe “super MAGA governor” (or at least do not already blindly support her) felt uneasy and unwelcome. One independent constituent told NBC News that because she booed during the remarks, someone in front of her turned around and asked, “What are you doing here?” And before the event even started, Mace apparently lost her cool, exclaiming “out, get out!” to people holding protest signs—one of whom was wearing a shirt that said “GOP Against Trump.”
After the town hall ended, Mace told NBC, “I like the debate, I like being asked tough questions…I actually asked Democrats to speak up, ask your questions, because I don’t fear any of the tough questions. That is democracy, and that’s what our country should be about.”
Alas, it seems our Sisyphean villain is just touting one thing after another—and not only hating the responses she gets, but challenging people for more. As for myself, if I ever meet Mace face-to-face, maybe I’ll take her up on her challenge. But after her track record, honestly, I might want to keep the tough questions to myself.