Reporting

Nancy Mace Drops Senate Bid as South Carolina Race Heats Up

Nancy Mace says she will not seek Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat as Darline Graham joins a crowded Republican field and GOP rivals clash over House control.

Andrew PowellJul 20, 20263 min read

Nancy Mace Politics Senate South Carolina U.S. News

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has decided against running for the Senate seat once held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, ending speculation that she would enter an increasingly crowded Republican primary.

According to Fox News, Mace announced her decision Monday, saying her attention remains focused on what she described as a fight for justice rather than another political office.

“I want to be straight with you, 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.

Her decision came shortly after Darline Graham, the sister of the late senator, confirmed she would seek the Republican nomination.

Darline Graham was appointed to serve the remainder of her brother's term and said she decided to run after encouragement from President Donald Trump.

During an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Graham acknowledged the pressure surrounding the decision but said she was ready to take on the challenge.

“I feel like I can do it, I feel an inner peace about it,” Graham said. “Will it be difficult? Yes.”

When asked whether she had made up her mind, Graham gave a direct answer: “I'm in.”

Her entry adds another major name to a Republican contest that already includes Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, along with businessman Mark Lynch.

The race has quickly turned contentious, with Mace and Norman criticizing Fry's decision to run while seeking reelection to his House seat.

They argue that a Fry victory in the Senate race could leave his congressional district without a representative for months and further narrow Republicans' already slim House majority.

“If you're running for two offices at once, you've already told us who you are,” Mace said, accusing Fry of putting political ambition ahead of his current constituents.

Fry's allies have pushed back, arguing that voters should have the opportunity to choose their candidate rather than see the nomination treated as a foregone conclusion.

South Carolina law allows Fry to appear on the ballot for both offices.

If he wins both races, he would have to choose one position, potentially triggering another special election for his House seat.

State lawmakers have acknowledged that the situation exposed problems with South Carolina's election laws and said they plan to address them in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the battle for Graham's Senate seat is shaping up as a fierce Republican contest with the filing period approaching.

Watch the video below:

Loading post…