Fact check: How did Nancy Mace's voting record contribute to her unpopularity?

1. Extracting the central claims: what critics and defenders say about Mace’s record

The primary claims across the briefed materials assert that Nancy Mace’s voting record is a blend of bipartisan and controversial choices, and that her public statements and proposed legislation have amplified unpopularity. Analysts note specific votes — for example, her opposition to President Trump’s second impeachment on constitutional/due-process grounds — and flag votes on routine legislation that don’t by themselves explain strong negative reactions ^{[1] [2]}. Parallel claims focus on conduct and rhetoric: introduction of an anti‑trans bathroom resolution, alleged use of slurs, and confrontations with constituents that received broad attention and condemnation; these items are presented as proximate causes of decline in public standing ^{[3] [5] [4]}. Defenders emphasize constitutional concerns underlying some votes while critics emphasize tone and targeted policy choices as politically damaging ^{[6] [7]}.

2. Voting record facts: which votes are salient and what they actually say

On roll-call history, Mace’s record includes votes aligning with GOP leadership and select bipartisan measures, such as support for legislation like the Coast Guard Authorization Act and business-related bills, while also casting votes that reflect party-aligned skepticism of accountability mechanisms; she voted against Trump’s second impeachment, citing due process concerns and precedent for Congress ^{[2] [1]}. Her legislative portfolio thus mixes conventional GOP positions with occasional individual statements about process; the formal votes cited in available summaries do not by themselves show an extreme departure from her party’s patterns, but the combination of votes and public messaging creates a distinct profile for observers ^{[2] [8]}. The factual record shows both routine lawmaking and at least one highly symbolic vote used by opponents to shape narratives about her priorities ^[6].

3. The controversies: bills and behavior that drew the most heat

Recent controversies center less on arcane procedural votes and more on targeted proposals and public conduct. Mace introduced a resolution aimed at preventing transgender women from using women’s restrooms, a move that revived scrutiny given prior statements perceived as supportive of LGBTQ rights, raising questions about consistency and motive ^[3]. Concurrently, reporting documents instances of profanity, alleged slurs, and heated public confrontations with constituents — episodes that became focal points in local and national coverage and intensified perceptions of volatility and divisiveness ^{[5] [4]}. These actions produced immediate backlash from both Democrats and some Republicans, who framed the incidents as reflective of personal judgment and priorities rather than legislative substance ^{[7] [4]}.

4. How votes and conduct interact to produce unpopularity

The available evidence indicates a synergistic effect: votes that alone would be routine become politically combustible when paired with provocative legislative proposals and abrasive public behavior. Opponents and critics emphasize the emotional and identity-driven dimensions of her anti‑trans resolution and public confrontations to mobilize negative opinion, while supporters frame certain votes (like opposing impeachment) as principled stances about constitutional process ^{[3] [6]}. This dynamic explains why a mixed voting record can still translate into high unpopularity: voters respond not only to policy specifics but to tone, consistency, and perceived respect for constituents, and multiple reports show those non-policy dimensions dominating coverage and sentiment ^{[7] [4]}.

5. Timeline and competing narratives — dates, evidence, and partisan framing

Reporting from 2021 through mid‑2025 shows evolving frames: early coverage emphasized major votes such as the impeachment stance in January 2021; later items from 2024–2025 document controversies about personal conduct and anti‑trans legislation that intensified scrutiny ^{[1] [7] [3] [4]}. Supporters invoke due process and constitutional caution regarding impeachment and other procedural critiques, while critics highlight targeted policy moves and conduct that alienate moderate voters and galvanize opponents. Media agendas differ: fact-focused roll-call summaries stress legislative details ^[2], while human‑interest and political outlets foreground confrontations and identity politics ^{[7] [5]}. The timeline shows that reputation shifts accelerated with repeated public incidents after 2024 rather than from any single vote.

6. Bottom line: what the evidence supports about causation

The assembled facts support a conclusion that Mace’s unpopularity stems more from contested public behavior and polarizing legislative initiatives than from any single roll‑call vote, though certain symbolic votes are used by adversaries to amplify grievances. Her mixed voting record provides fodder, but the decisive triggers in reporting between 2021 and 2025 are the anti‑trans bathroom resolution, public confrontations and profanity incidents, and related allegations about conduct and appropriations that broadened criticism across party lines ^{[3] [4] [7]}. Observers should note competing framings: constitutional principle versus personal conduct; both play into public assessments, and the most recent coverage places greater weight on conduct and targeted policy moves as drivers of her diminished popularity ^{[6] [5]}.