In a February profile with Politico, Mace said the tattoos are part of an effort to "reclaim" her body and stem from "the pain that I need to feel." Visible pieces include the word "Justice" beside a lion and the opening line of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway: "Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself."
First elected in 2020 and reelected in 2022 and 2024, Mace ran for governor and finished fifth in the June 9 runoff. After that loss she announced she will not seek another term in Congress, and viewers and critics alike are reacting as she shifts toward media and commentary.