(January 12, 2021 / JNS) Nancy Mace, a Republican, narrowly won Democratic Representative Joe Cunningham in South Carolina’s first congressional district on November 3 to become the state’s first Republican woman elected to Congress.
Mace, 43, a single mother with two children, previously served in the South Carolina House of Representatives.
Mace, who dropped out of high school and a former Waffle House employee, was the first woman to graduate from the American military academy The Citadel, joined a record number of Republican women elected to Congress when she took office on January 3. .
“It was remarkable and very humiliating to be part of this historic class,” she said. “We have the most diverse class of Republican freshmen since World War II.”
“It’s the honor of my life,” she said.
Over the weekend, Mace appeared in several media outlets talking about her family’s concern for her safety last Wednesday, when she and other lawmakers were put at risk by the mob invasion of the United States Capitol on January 6. . She said the events of that day “swept away” the legacy of United States President Donald Trump, although she later expressed her opposition to the president’s resignation.
JNS spoke to Mace on the phone on December 28. The interview was edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: What is your general position on the US-Israel relationship?
AN: I support Israel. They were huge allies of ours.
Q: What role do you see Israel playing in your district?
AN: South Carolina’s first congressional district has a strong Jewish community and, as a member of Congress, I will represent all of our communities and be a strong ally of our Jewish residents here in Charleston and throughout the first congressional district. I support them to make sure I understand the issues that arise, whether it is dealing with anti-Semitism or regional issues with Israel.
Q: What were your interactions with the Jewish community before, during and after your campaign?
AN: During the campaign, we were going to do events with the Jewish community, but then COVID came in, so it was difficult to do events on a large scale. As soon as COVID passes, I will be doing events with the Jewish community. Long before I was elected to the post, I participated in events with the Jewish community.
Q: Have you ever been to Israel?
A: I don’t have one. But I look forward to visiting at some point in the future.
Q: What was your reaction to the Abraham accords and the strict US stance on Iran?
AN: Due to the Abraham Agreements, the region has experienced diplomatic relations established between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. Iran is a serious threat to the United States and our interests. I am deeply opposed to any new calls to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. There is no way you can trust Iran. It is the same country that your leadership calls “Down with America” and antagonizes our greatest ally in the region, Israel.
Q: What is your position on US military intervention in the Middle East?
A: It depends on the region. I have largely followed President Trump’s leadership on many of these issues – wanting to remove some troops from Syria and Afghanistan are things that I supported. The world is strong when America is strong and our defenses are strong. I would like to see some of those dollars spent abroad on training all of our military resources, which have had some training problems in recent years. We need to do everything we can to support Israel in the region. We cannot allow Iran to reign over them in any way or form.
Q: Are you concerned about the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan will they leave a power vacuum for Iran and other opponents to fill?
A: Not at the moment. There are so many forces in the region and around the globe. But it is something that we need to observe closely and be ready for anything that may happen in the future. That is why America needs to be the strongest possible force.
Q: What is your reaction to the rise of anti-Semitism at home and abroad?
AN: It is really disheartening and sad that this is still a problem or topic today. Unfortunately, the United States Department of Justice has tracked a sharp rise in anti-Semitism across the country. I am proud of the Trump administration’s work to combat anti-Semitism and ensure that people are aware of it. But more needs to be done. We have to prevent anti-Semitic attacks before they happen. We need to educate our young people about the long history of hate. We need to make sure that the Holocaust is not forgotten in our history books. We need to come together to fight this kind of injustice as a community. We need to provide a safe haven where all Americans can enjoy their community.
Q: What is the best way for America to fight the BDS movement?
A: People who support the BDS movement go behind the scenes and what they say is very anti-American, anti-Semitic and anti-Israel. We cannot tolerate this in any way or form.
Q: Your district is home to the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where a white supremacist sniper killed nine blacks during a Bible study on June 17, 2015. How did you react to the events of that day?
AN: That was one of the darkest days in Charleston’s history. Where we had this horrible and tragic event, and that really defines Charleston. During that day, enormous love and forgiveness were shown to the murderer of that tragic event. Many of these families have forgiven him. Our black community showed tremendous moderation and love, and the people who were here five years ago when it happened really pride themselves on something we call “strong Charleston” in caring for minorities and other populations in our community, and understanding that we can’t tolerate it in any way, shape or form.
For me, when this tragedy happened, I helped start a scholarship for African American students from the AME community in my alma mater, The Citadel, and worked on legislation that would strengthen criminal data and information to ensure that something like this never happens again. will happen.