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Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., penned a guest essay for The New York Times on Monday, contending that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "was a more effective House speaker than any Republican this century."
With Mace preparing to leave Congress to run for governor of South Carolina, the congresswoman reflected on her time as a legislator in an opinion piece titled "What’s the Point of Congress?"
Mace began by recalling how she "came to Congress five years ago believing I could make a difference for my constituents, for South Carolina and for a country I love deeply," but has since "learned that the system in the House promotes control by party leaders over accountability and achievement." She lamented the ineffectiveness of Congress, but pointed to one member who she felt was especially talented in getting things done — Pelosi.
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Mace praised Pelosi for her effectiveness in Congress in an op-ed for The New York Times on Monday. (Al Drago/Bloomberg; Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
"Here’s a hard truth Republicans don’t want to hear: Nancy Pelosi was a more effective House speaker than any Republican this century," she wrote. "I agree with her on essentially nothing. But she understood something we don’t: No majority is permanent."
The congresswoman wrote that unlike Republicans, when Democrats hold the majority, "they ram through the most progressive policies they can," and "deliver for the coalition that elected them while they are in power."
"Republicans do the opposite," Mace argued. "We get the majority, then become petrified of losing it. We pass the most moderate policies we can pressure conservatives to accept, betraying the coalition that delivered us here."
"Ms. Pelosi was ruthless, but she got things done," she added.
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Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., speaks during a hearing with the House Oversight and Accountability committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on April 11, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Continuing her criticism of Congress' dysfunction, Mace maintained that "the current House is restrictive and ineffective," producing "control with barely any results."
She argued that "Republican leadership seems intent on replicating" Pelosi's "model of consolidation" without any of the former House speaker's "bold vision to push through the policies that won us the majority."
Concluding her essay, Mace left Republicans with a stark warning for the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
"Today Republicans have a governing trifecta: the House, the Senate and the White House. If we fail to pass legislation that permanently secures the border, addresses the affordability crisis, improves health care and restores law and order, we will lose this majority. And we will deserve it," she cautioned.
Although praise for the opposite side of the political aisle can be rare, Mace was not the first Republican to commend Pelosi’s effectiveness following her November announcement that she would retire from Congress.
During an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer last month, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., also praised Pelosi's effectiveness during her time in Congress. When asked by Blitzer about her reaction to the former House speaker retiring, Greene said her immediate reaction was that she believes in term limits but praised the accomplishments of Pelosi's four-decade career in the House.
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Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., talks with reporters after a meeting of the House Republican Conference at the Capitol Hill Club on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
"I’m very impressed at her ability to get things done," Greene said. "I wish we could get things done for our party like Nancy Pelosi was able to deliver for her party. So, I wish her well in her retirement, but I would like to see people exit Washington a lot sooner rather than wait until their eighties."
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Fox News' Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
