"
Mace, a South Carolina Republican, made the remark as Blitzer cited polling of South Carolina likely voters. The congresswoman did not hold back, framing the two issues as bookends to a cycle of GOP self-inflicted wounds.
"It started with the Epstein files and it's going to end with the Iran war," Mace said.
The Epstein files have consumed Washington for months, with demands from across the political spectrum for full transparency regarding the federal government's handling of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein and his network. The Iran war—the ongoing U.S. military involvement that has divided the MAGA base—has become a flashpoint in races across the country, including the Michigan Senate contest where Democrat El-Sayed has campaigned hard against the war and even adopted Trump's "America First" language, according to NBC News.
NBC News reported Tuesday that young men's dissatisfaction with President Trump could be a critical factor in close midterm races. The voting bloc shifted heavily toward the GOP in 2024, but an NBC News Decision Desk poll last month found that just 28% of men aged 18-29 approve of the president. Republicans and Democrats who spoke with NBC News pointed to three developments as largely responsible: affordability concerns, especially housing costs; the Iran war; and the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files.
Mace's comments came during a broader discussion of South Carolina polling, though the specific numbers Blitzer referenced were not detailed in the clip. The congresswoman has been an outspoken voice in the Republican conference, often breaking with leadership on issues ranging from government surveillance to foreign intervention.
The timing of Mace's warning is notable. With midterm elections now just days away, Republicans are fighting to hold their majorities in both chambers. The party's internal divisions over the Epstein files and the Iran war have become a liability in swing districts, where independent voters and young men—a key part of Trump's 2024 coalition—are showing signs of restlessness.
The White House has not responded publicly to Mace's remarks. The Trump administration has defended its handling of both issues, arguing that it has released appropriate information on Epstein and that the Iran operation was necessary for national security. But the polling data suggests the messaging is not breaking through with key demographics.
For everyday Americans, the stakes are clear: the party that promised to drain the swamp and put America first is now being accused by one of its own of losing focus on the issues that mattered to voters. Whether Mace's prediction proves accurate will be determined at the ballot box.
Our Take
Nancy Mace just said out loud what plenty of Republicans have been whispering for months. The Epstein files were a self-inflicted wound—a transparency issue that the GOP base demanded and the party fumbled. Instead of releasing everything and letting the chips fall, Republicans let the story fester, feeding the perception that Washington protects its own. That's not a left-wing conspiracy theory; it's a failure of nerve.
And the Iran war? The MAGA movement was built on ending forever wars, not starting new ones. Young men who showed up for Trump in 2024 did so because he promised to keep America out of foreign entanglements. Now, with the war dragging on and approval among young men cratering at 28%, the GOP is bleeding the exact voters it needs to win.
Mace is right to sound the alarm. But a warning is not a solution. Republicans need to get serious about transparency on Epstein and about explaining—or ending—the war. Otherwise, the midterms could be a rout, and the party will have no one to blame but itself.
