This vote will take some explaining.
When the House of Representatives voted on Friday evening to pass a bill that keeps the federal government running for another 45 days, 90 Republicans opposed it. Nevertheless, it passed easily, 335-91, because every Democrat except one voted for it, as did a solid majority of Republicans.
This was a startling bi-partisan effort to keep the government open.
So I expected that the self-proclaimed champion of bipartisanship in the House, Nancy Mace, would obviously have voted for it. Yet, stunningly, she did not. She voted NO. She joined her fellow South Carolina members Duncan, Fry, Norman and Timmons in favor of shutting down the government. Even Republican Joe Wilson joined Democrats to support the bill.
As of mid-day Monday, October 2, Mace has yet to issue a press statement, a Tweet (X), an Instagram post or anything to explain this vote. Staffers in her Washington and Mt. Pleasant offices said she was still working on a statement and the public should stay tuned.
We will, and we will be happy to deconstruct it.
This vote will help Mac Deford or Michael B. Moore defeat Mace in 2024 and take back this gerrymandered seat. (Deford and Moore are opposing each other in the Democratic primary.)
I don't blame Mace for not issuing a statement in defense of her vote the night she made it. There is no logical defense for abandoning Speaker Kevin McCarthy and a majority of her own party, and instead voting with Matt Gaetz and the crazies in her party who are eager to shut down the government.
Perhaps Mace has had enough of her life in Congress, and this is her way of saying goodbye.