Nancy Mace eyes run to replace Graham in Senate

Senate Nancy Mace eyes run to replace Graham in Senate Comments: by Emily Brooks - 07/12/26 12:36 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Emily Brooks - 07/12/26 12:36 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is considering a run to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in the Senate.

Asked about interest in replacing Graham, a person familiar with Mace’s thinking told The Hill Sunday morning: “YOLO” — the saying, “You Only Live Once.”

Mace is expected to conduct polling this week to measure her potential strength in a primary race to replace Graham, whose office announced Sunday that he died suddenly overnight after a brief illness.

Graham was running for reelection this year and had been named the Republican nominee. Per South Carolina law, the filing period for a special primary to replace Graham as nominee ends on July 21. A special primary election will take place on Aug. 11, and a runoff, if needed, will happen on Aug. 25.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) will separately appoint a replacement to fill the remainder of Graham’s term, through Jan. 3, 2027.

Mace, who has built a firebrand persona in politics, last month came in fifth place in a Republican primary to be governor of South Carolina, garnering about 12 percent of the vote. She blamed her loss in part on being one of four Republicans to sign a discharge petition forcing a vote to release files about the late Jeffrey Epstein, which had angered President Trump.

Trump had endorsed South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (R) in the governor’s race, but she lost the nomination in a runoff to the state’s Attorney General, Alan Wilson (R).

Mace was forced to forgo running for reelection to the House because she ran for governor and was set to depart Congress in January. She posted a clip from The Godfather Part III on Sunday morning, quoting the movie: “Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in…”

In a separate statement on Graham, Mace said that the late senator “gave everything he had to this state and this country, from the Air Force to the United States Senate.”

“We did not always agree, but no one ever questioned his love for South Carolina or the fight he brought to every room he walked into,” Mace said.

Punchbowl News reported earlier Sunday that the gubernatorial nominee’s father, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), 78, was interested in being appointed to replace Graham and running for a full term.

But Wilson later Sunday morning indicated that after talking to Trump, he would remain in the House, where Republicans have a super-slim majority.

‘I was grateful to speak with President Trump today reminiscing about our mutual friend, Senator Lindsey Graham. I assured him my goal is to remain in the House to keep his two-vote majority for the American people!!!” Wilson said on social media.

Trump said on Meet the Press on Sunday morning that he had a replacement for Graham in mind.

“I have someone that I think would be great, but I don’t want to say it now, because it’s too soon with Lindsey,” Trump said. “I don’t want to even talk about anybody, but I do have somebody that I think is really good.”

Trump went on to praise the current governor, McMaster.