Outgoing Lowcountry Congresswoman Nancy Mace says she's ready to retire from electoral politics and be "normal Nancy" again.
"When I ran for the House, I said I would serve three terms and then I would be done. And I fulfilled that promise," Mace told POLITICO's Jonathan Martin, who moderated the South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce's Washington Night, a yearly gathering of business leaders who get together to hear from the state's federal delegation.
"I loved it though. I loved serving," Mace said.
Mace was first elected to the U.S. House in 2020, flipping a seat back to GOP control. She previously served in the state House.
She became the first Republican woman from the state elected to Congress.
Instead of a reelection bid, Mace ran unsuccessfully in June for governor.
What Mace does next after her term ends still appears up in the air.
"Is there a non-elected job in public life that would appeal to you, and, if so, what is that?" Martin asked Mace.
"No," Mace replied, saying beyond helping Republican candidates win races this fall she has outside interests that include rare earth minerals and metals, wellness and defense technology. "I kind of want to whittle sticks for a while."
In the 1st District race, Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt will face Democrat Nancy Lacore in November. Libertarian Party candidate Bill Reeside will also be on the ballot.