A resurfaced video from nearly a decade ago is pulling Rep. Nancy Mace back into the spotlight, and this time it is not about policy.
The footage, reportedly from around 2016, shows Mace participating in a controversial party drinking game often referred to as “baby birding,” where alcohol is transferred mouth-to-mouth between participants. In the clip, Mace appears alongside others in a casual party setting, including one person wearing a pro-Donald Trump shirt.
The video itself is low quality, but the reaction is not.
It has begun circulating again across social media and political circles, reigniting debate about personal conduct, political attacks, and timing. Clips like this have a pattern. They tend to reappear during election cycles or moments of controversy, and this instance appears no different.
The timing raises eyebrows.
Mace has recently faced scrutiny over statements about a medical condition that limits her alcohol intake, which has added fuel to critics who are now using the old footage to question consistency.
But the backlash is not one-sided.
Some commentators, including political voices online, argue the renewed focus on the clip says more about intraparty conflict than it does about Mace herself. Instead of targeting opposing parties, critics say the resurfacing reflects ongoing fractures within Republican ranks, where political figures become targets of their own side.
That dynamic matters.
In today’s political environment, viral moments can overshadow policy discussions. A single clip, even one nearly a decade old, can dominate headlines and shape public perception far beyond its original context.
Still, key facts remain unchanged.
The video is not new. It does not relate to current legislation or official conduct. And no formal investigation or legal issue has been tied to the footage.
What it does represent is something more familiar in modern politics.
A reminder that optics, timing, and narrative control often carry as much weight as policy positions.
For Mace, the question is not just about the past.
It is whether moments like this can influence voters in the present, especially as political tensions continue to rise ahead of future elections.