Rep. Nancy Mace wear ‘A’ on her shirt post receiving backlash for voting against former speaker Kevin McCarthy

Representative Nancy Mace donned a red ‘A’ on her shirt on Tuesday after her vote to oust Kevin McCarthy from the position of Speaker, which left her feeling “demonized” on Capitol Hill, she said.

“I’m wearing the ‘scarlet letter after the week that I just had, last week, being a woman up here and being demonized for my vote and for my voice,” Mace told reporters. She apparently referred to the 19th century novel wherein the protagonist was forced to wear a red ‘A’ after becoming pregnant out of wedlock.

She continued that she want the world and the country to know that she is on the side of the people and not on the side of establishment. She added that no matter the consequences, she will always do the right thing because she is not entitled to answer to anybody in DC. “I don’t want answer to anyone in Washington. I only answer to the people.”

Mace faced severe backlash for her vote to remove McCarthy from his position, which has been the first time in the history that the House has voted to remove its leader. She has since defended her vote and claimed that the former speaker did not stand on his promises, which were made to Mace regarding women’s rights.