Way Too Early Hot Takes with Zero Factual Basis That You Should Totally, Absolutely Believe
This image was in no way edited.
TL;DR. Sean will periodically offer his most heartfelt predictions for the world and even include a timer for when you should hold him to them and mock him on social media for being wrong… or right. I’m sure this won’t hurt his reputation or backfire at all.
Deshaun Watson is going to win a Super Bowl with The New England Patriots next year. To some that is a very hot take, to me, it’s a hopeful (it’s not happening) possibility of things to come (again it’s not happening, but a girl can dream). Hot takes and baseless predictions like this are what prop up an entire sports media industry, and it is not much different than the political pundits and prognosticators that we see in the news every single day. Over the coming months, I am going to come out with some mild to wild takes, this being my first.
So, with that, let me do my best Stephen A Smith impression and give you a ‘taco bell mild’ level hot take to ponder for the day:
Nancy Mace is Going to Replace Lindsey Graham When He *Eventually* Retires.
Now many who read the above probably reacted with the following:
Well, first off. Here is my girl, Nance.
Here’s my girl, Nance.
To those who have heard of Nancy Mace, know she is a newly elected Republican Congresswoman from South Carolina’a First District. Mace first gained traction in the media after speaking out against President Trump and her fellow GOP colleagues after the insurrection/coup/rally/protest/improvised stage play (I think that’s what Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is calling it). Mace went as far as to say President Trump and his allies in Congress put all their lives at risk with their rhetoric and calls for stopping the certification, and that the events of January 6th “…completely wiped out his legacy.” Call it principles, or smart politics, no one can say Mace was slow to condemn this dark day in American history, but this isn’t the only reason why she has a bright future.
Mace in a way checks all the boxes for a successful American politician: Well-spoken, a great origin story, and a good balance of strong ideological convictions to an open willingness to work across the aisle. Mace went from being the victim of sexual assault in high school which led to her dropping out, to working at a Waffle House, then being the first woman graduate of The Citadel, a previously all-male military college in SC, and now a member of Congress. Many would say she personifies the modern-day American Dream, overcoming a traumatic experience and everyday struggles, to achieving what seemed like the impossible.
She supported President Trump on major issues like tax reform, ending the wars in the Middle East, and fighting to keep our economy and schools open during the COVID-19 pandemic, however it has not prevented her from speaking out against him. In a world where it seems Republicans’ only options are MTG (whom Mace has routinely called out for her wacky and dangerous conspiracy theories) or the as-trustworthy-as-a-pyramid-scheme Lincoln Project, Nancy Mace offers a bright, well-balanced future for the Republican Party: modern ideas on social issues paired with strong convictions on fiscal issues, and a willingness to call out her own Party.
All this culminates in her being the ideal replacement for Lindsey Graham, who despite his recent affinity for Trumpian conservatism, has spent most of his career as an ideological maverick (to use an overused term). Graham, a pragmatic yet outspoken conservative has never been afraid to call out the other side while always working across the aisle when needed. Lindsey Graham more or less has always been a moderate, regardless of his recent strong support of President Trump. The Republican electorate of South Carolina has shown an appetite for this moderation in not just Lindsey’s consistent reelection, but the election of Senator Tim Scott and past election of Governor Nikki Haley (two of my faves). So, it goes without saying: Nancy Mace would have no issue with winning a Republican Senate Primary Election when Lindsey Graham is done.
Her youth, cool and collected style, and more modern and independent views do well to counter the storylines and generalizations Democrats successfully used against the GOP in traditionally red states like Georgia and Arizona in 2020. So, a Graham to Mace transition is not only extremely doable, it also would be quite symbolic of the passing of the torch within the modern GOP. This would lead to Mace joining Tim Scott as the junior senator from South Carolina, making South Carolina one of the more diverse Senate delegations in Congress.
Now, just like there is no realistic reason to believe The Pats will land Deshaun Watson in a blockbuster trade, currently, there is no reason to think Graham will retire in 2026. If he does though…I know who I am putting my money on.
