South Carolina – A top adviser to Rep. Nancy Mace’s campaign for governor has suddenly left her team, making compelling allegations that the South Carolina Republican has moved away from her tight ties to Donald Trump’s political movement. The departure, which was made public on Monday, made the already competitive GOP primary field even more tense.
Austin McCubbin, who had worked for Trump in South Carolina during the 2024 election and provided Mace assistance in earlier campaigns, said he could no longer work for her. McCubbin wrote on X that Mace had “once again” abandoned the key beliefs of the former president’s platform. He said she was now part of a new wing of the party linked to Senators Rand Paul and Thomas Massie.
“Nancy Mace has yet again decided to turn her back on MAGA to hug the political cactus that is the Rand Paul + Thomas Massie wing of the Party,” Austin McCubbin wrote on the social platform X, referring to a pair of Republicans who have criticized aspects of Trump’s administration.
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McCubbin pointed to the Protect Freedom PAC, which is independent and started supporting Mace last month. He added that at first, he thought the involvement was just a normal outside activity that campaigns can’t control. But after talking to Mace a few days earlier, he said it was evident that she had actively joined the group.
“She told me she is directing a personal friend to fund a 7-figure check to Rand’s PAC,” he alleged. “She distanced herself, and now she’s fully embracing the Rand Paul + Thomas Massie wing for money.”
Mace’s team soon responded, saying that McCubbin was lying about what happened because he was frustrated over compensation. A campaign spokesperson said he hadn’t done any real work and only became publicly antagonistic after Mace turned down his request for $10,000 a month.
“Mr. McCubbin didn’t raise a dime for the campaign or better yet, never even bothered showing up. When he demanded $10,000 a month for ‘services’ and was told no, he ran straight to X. Good luck with that,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokeswoman said that Mace has always supported Trump, and that McCubbin had even called her “the most pro-Trump and America First Governor in the country.”
Mace’s bid for governor comes as South Carolina’s Republican primary grows more crowded. Attorney General Alan Wilson, Rep. Ralph Norman, state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette are all trying to take over for Gov. Henry McMaster, who is leaving office once his term ends. Many people think that the eventual GOP nominee will win the general election, but Trump has not yet backed any contender.
Mace has gained a reputation in recent years for going against party leadership, such as when she voted to remove then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023. She was also part of a tiny number of Republicans who wanted the Justice Department to reveal records related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. This bill only passed after Trump said he would support it.
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For now, McCubbin’s leaving adds more uncertainty to Mace’s campaign as she tries to win over GOP voters in the primary, where loyalty to Trump remains a big issue.
Nancy Mace has yet again decided to turn her back on MAGA to hug the political cactus that is the Rand Paul + Thomas Massie wing of the Party.
I have notified her and her team that I am resigning because of this.
My name has been used publicly, while going back on her word to… https://t.co/h1pYBe0ZFr
— J. Austin McCubbin (@austinmccubbin) December 1, 2025
