Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) made headlines this week, not just for her vote on President Donald Trump’s massive budget bill, but for how she showed up to cast it. On Tuesday, Mace posted a video of herself on social media, wearing pink pajamas and riding a party bus en route to the Capitol.
The playful stunt, aimed at poking fun at the rushed nature of the budget vote, was intended as political satire but sparked mixed reactions. “I’m here to save my country, so come hell or high water, I was gonna get here on time,” Mace told The Daily Mail after her arrival in Washington, D.C.
The House had been called back for a high-stakes vote on Trump’s proposed “mega budget bill,” which seeks to extend his signature tax cuts and make deep spending adjustments. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) scheduled the vote late Wednesday, aiming to advance the legislation to President Trump’s desk.
However, the effort was derailed when four Republican members broke ranks and voted against the bill, jeopardizing its passage. The unexpected defection highlighted a growing fracture within the GOP caucus and left Johnson scrambling to secure the necessary votes.
Faced with opposition from within his own party, Johnson announced that the vote would remain open overnight, in a last-ditch effort to persuade dissenting Republicans to reconsider. As the impasse dragged on, Mace took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a more reflective message.
“We’re here at the Capitol, and it looks like we’re going to pull another all-nighter,” she wrote. “Yes, I have pajamas. Yes, I sometimes like to make jokes. Some of them are good. Some of them don’t land, but I do like to laugh and have fun.”
Mace’s antics may have been intended to inject levity into an otherwise tense legislative moment, but they also drew attention to the disorganization and urgency surrounding the bill’s vote. While some praised her for being relatable and light-hearted, others questioned whether the moment called for more seriousness.
The bill in question, a cornerstone of Trump’s post-presidency legislative ambitions, continues to face scrutiny—not only for its contents, which include major cuts to social programs—but also for the deep divisions it has revealed within the Republican ranks. As the House remains deadlocked, the future of the legislation—and the unity of the GOP—hangs in the balance.