Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) announced that she will not seek the Republican nomination for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat ahead of South Carolina’s July 21 filing deadline.
Following Graham’s unexpected death last week, Mace publicly considered entering next month’s South Carolina Republican special primary after recently losing her bid for governor. Instead, she said she will remain focused on her work in Congress.
Mace lost heavily in a primary to succeed term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster in last month’s Republican primary.
“I’m not running for the U.S. Senate, not because I’m backing down from a fight, but because the one I’m already in matters right now,” Mace said in a July 20 video that she posted on X.
Mace said she will continue the rest of her term, which ends in January 2027, to advocate for stronger legal protections for women, arguing that existing laws have failed victims.
“The laws meant to protect me and other women failed us, and I won’t stop until that changes,” she said. “So I’m not chasing another title. I’m chasing justice—justice for me, justice for other women, and justice for every little girl who was told to stay silent. That’s where my focus is today, and that’s where it’s going to stay.”
She also thanked supporters who encouraged her to enter the race.
“Serving South Carolina has been the honor of my life, and I will continue to voice our values everywhere I can,” Mace said.
Mace’s decision further solidifies the Republican field, which includes Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-S.C.), whom Gov. McMaster appointed to complete her late brother’s term, along with Reps. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Russell Fry (R-S.C.).
Businessman Mark Lynch, who unsuccessfully ran against the late senator in the past, and Duke Buckner are also running.
Several Republicans on Capitol Hill said they are wary of any GOP members of the House leaving Congress before the end of the session, as it will narrow their already slim majority before the midterms.
Graham Nordone officially launched her campaign on Monday after receiving President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
In a recent interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Graham said she felt the “tremendous amount of pressure” to take over the position and run.
“I feel like I can do it, I feel an inner peace about it,” she said, adding, “Will it be difficult? Yes.”
When Hannity asked the senator if she had made a decision on whether she would definitely run for her brother’s seat, Graham responded, “I’m in.”
“Darline, who comes from an absolutely incredible family, has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement in the Special Election for U.S. Senate in South Carolina,” Trump wrote.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) refused to make an outright endorsement at the moment but complimented Graham by stating, “She obviously carries on Lindsey’s legacy. But I think she’s a very accomplished person in her own right.”
The filing period for the Republican nomination runs from July 21 to July 28, with a special primary scheduled for August 11.
Meanwhile, memorial services for Graham will begin Tuesday, July 28, in Washington, according to his office. Additional services will follow on July 29 in Columbia and Pickens County, S.C.
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