Like most viral videos, the April 2025 encounter in a Charleston, South Carolina, store aisle between Congresswoman Nancy Mace and Ely Murray-Quick dominated the news cycle for several hours before fading into oblivion. Murray-Quick, a 31-year-old, gay, Charleston Realtor, approached the Republican representative, who’d not held a public meeting in 2025, and inquired about more meetings. Mace posted a video (available to view here) of their brief but heated encounter, which shows Mace prejudging Murray-Quick for being gay—particularly for his choice of clothing. Murray-Quick was interviewed in October.
Scott Holleran: Had you communicated with or met Congresswoman Mace before?
Ely Murray-Quick: No.
SH: What’s the timeline of what happened when you encountered Nancy Mace?
EMQ: Mine was a pretty regular day, I’d say. We went to buy some plants. … Then we went over to the town center because I wanted to buy a few things—one thing particularly—at Ulta [Beauty store at Mount Pleasant Town Center], so I walked into Ulta and, as it would happen, Nancy Mace walked into the store behind me. I recognized her after walking in behind me as we were holding the door open and I said to my husband: “I think that’s Nancy Mace.” It didn’t register at first who it was. Anyway, walking over to find facial wash, we ended up in the same aisle, so I took an opportunity to ask a question. … I asked her when she intended to host an actual town hall in her district. I don’t remember exactly what she said in her first response to me. I was asking about the upcoming year because people were beginning to focus more on local elections and having conversations with representatives. So, I pressed her on when the following town halls would be. She started to go off track after that question, stating that all of the people on the left are the same. The question went unanswered.
SH: Was the entire encounter captured on video?
EMQ: I think the one video Nancy Mace posted, which is when [the confrontation] got onto the news, was missing about maybe the first twenty seconds of the actual conversation. Fortunately, I did have my phone at my side recording and captured the first fifteen or so seconds and then I posted that to the Internet. That was the entirety of the confrontation or non-confrontational question. It quickly evolved from there. She started yelling and saying I was harassing her—which was not anywhere near the truth, with me being ten-plus feet away—and then she continued to suggest that I was only worthy of a conversation in a way that would come down to my sexuality. She said she voted for gay marriage, twice, which wasn’t the topic of conversation and was kind of unprompted. I responded with asking her: “Do you think everything about me has to be boiled down to my sexuality?” That’s all on video. I think that’s when there was a big shift in the conversation.
SH: What is your own background?
EMQ: I grew up in … the inner city of Elizabeth, New Jersey, though I’ve lived [in South Carolina] since I was a teenager. My upbringing wasn’t in the best area [or] financial circumstance. My mother was married a few times—she’s a single mom again right now—and I’m one of eleven kids. Seven boys, four girls. I am the fourth oldest. My mother identified as a Democrat. We never really knew about politics until probably around the time Obama was elected, but even then I was too young to understand. I was just into high school. Being sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, I didn’t start thinking about politics until 2013 or 2014, maybe after that. Politics wasn’t something we grew up around or had conversations about.
SH: What was your first thought when you saw the congresswoman shopping in the aisle?
EMQ: Once I confirmed it was actually her, I thought it just might be a good moment to ask a genuine question.
SH: That was the question that popped into your mind: When do we have another town hall meeting?
EMQ: Absolutely. Ever since maybe March, February, or March of this year, I personally [read] more in the media about people wanting to see more town hall [meetings] from their representatives and elected officials. I saw her name come up a few times. My office is located within [Nancy Mace’s district]. My husband’s job for the federal government is also in Nancy’s district. I took the opportunity to ask.
SH: At the start of the new year and second inauguration, there was discourse about how often congressional representatives held town hall meetings, and Nancy Mace was one of those representatives being scrutinized in the press. Mace hadn’t held any meetings this year at that point. Is that right?
EMQ: That’s 100 percent right. To be honest, her reaction surprised me. I wasn’t expecting that for a response.
SH: What were you expecting?
EMQ: An answer. I did not think that she would get combative. I thought she might kind of give a politician’s answer, such as: “We’re working on it,” or “We’ll get around to it,” or something that really is just a no answer—kind of what we’ve [come] to expect. I didn’t expect it to turn into a defensive kind of tirade.
SH: How has the notoriety from this encounter affected you?
EMQ: That’s hard to answer. I’ve spoken to more people since [the encounter] and, to see the interaction kind of reminds me that I’m not alone in wanting more honesty from leaders, from everyone. There are people out there who want to use their voice—and don’t, for whatever reason. There are a lot of people who care about their community, and I get to speak to those people now. That’s been a real, remarkable, positive difference in my life—knowing there are so many people who care about their communities—in red states, blue states, purple—everywhere.
SH: Turning to political philosophy, are you a Democrat and, if so, why?
EMQ: I don’t entirely align myself with being a Democrat—or an independent. I’m obviously not a Republican. There are a lot of things I don’t like in the Democratic Party. Republicans claim to be financially conservative, and I used to think that way; back [in] 2012 I would have probably said I was a Republican. Then I started to learn about politics and just felt more at home around people who are not Republican, politically, at least. … I kind of liked Mitt Romney in 2012. I dressed up as Romney for Halloween around that time, mask and all.
SH: Can you give an example of an issue where you are not with Democrats?
EMQ: Specifically, I don’t know that they have [the people] in mind. If I receive another e-mail [soliciting] for money, not a packet of information of what can be done to change [course], it’s going to be my last straw. I’ve had to unsubscribe from all of them just because I feel that everything is starting to heavily focus around money, so I’ve kind of pulled myself out of those areas. There are things the Democrats’ far left people support that I could never get behind, [such as] Queers for Palestine. There are issues [which are important to me such as]abortion rights. I support a woman’s right to choose 100 percent. Certain laws overstep. Especially in South Carolina, where we are on track to have some of the strictest abortion laws in the country. That’s horrible. What a woman decides with her and her medical provider is none of my business, especially when it comes to the health of the woman.
SH: You’re currently working with a Democrat who’s running against Nancy Mace, correct?
EMQ: Yes. I’m doing volunteer work.
SH: Congresswoman Mace repeatedly attacked you for your choice of clothing. Would you wear the same thing again if you had it to do over?
EMQ: I’m wearing those green shorts today.
SH: Mace repeatedly made reference to your clothing as an attempt to intimidate or humiliate you. What are your thoughts on men’s appearance, and do you think there’s irrational discrimination of men and a double standard for women?
EMQ: Probably. People should be able to wear whatever they want without having to be abused and assaulted. I think there is possibly a double standard when it comes to men’s and women’s clothing. The length of my shorts is pretty standard in the Southeast. It’s kind of common, so the attack on my appearance was more rooted in homophobia than in policing men’s clothing. I don’t know that Nancy Mace would have said the same thing to a woman wearing short shorts, then went on Fox calling me a lunatic wearing Daisy Dukes—shredded jeans turned into shorts, not tailored shorts—took away a lot of credibility for Nancy Mace. To belittle someone asking you a question based on what they’re wearing when that is not the topic … it is interesting.
SH: Would you meet Nancy Mace in private?
EMQ: If Nancy Mace wanted to reach out to have a real conversation in private, for whatever reason, I would have to know what that reason is—but sure, absolutely.
SH: How would you describe Nancy Mace for an encyclopedia?
EMQ: I think that she is a person who at one point may have had good intentions. She’s a politician who could have made a difference if she had more conversations with real people, not just people she surrounds herself with.
Scott Holleran’s writing has been published in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and the Advocate. Mr. Holleran’s first book, Long Run: Short Stories Volume One, with a foreword by Ayn Rand biographer Shoshana Joy Milgram, debuted this fall. Read his non-fiction atScottHolleran.substack.com. Listen to him read his fiction aloud atShortStoriesByScottHolleran.
Ely Murray-Quick is a realtor based in Charleston, South Carolina. You can learn more about him on his website.
