Nancy Mace rules out bid for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat: 'Not chasing another title'

WASHINGTON, DC: Rep Nancy Mace announced that she will not seek South Carolina's open US Senate seat left vacant by the death of Sen Lindsey Graham, saying an ongoing personal matter still demands her focus.

The decision comes just months after Mace finished a disappointing fifth in a five-candidate field for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Two people who spoke to Politico said she began exploring a possible Senate run within hours of Graham's death being announced.

However, she ultimately chose not to pursue another statewide campaign just months later. The decision means she will leave elected office once her current House term ends early next year. 

Nancy Mace cites justice over Senate bid

Mace pointed to the House floor speech she delivered in February 2025, in which she raised serious allegations against her ex-fiancé and others, a matter that remains under investigation.

"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," she said.

"That's where my focus is today, and that's where it's going to stay."

She added that "the laws meant to protect me and other women failed us, and I won't stop until that changes," and vowed to keep speaking out even after leaving office.

"Serving South Carolina has been the honor of my life, and I will continue to voice our values everywhere I can; I'm even going to post from time to time, because someone has to call out that," she said.  

"I'm not running for the US 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 video statement.

Republicans vie for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat

Mace's exit comes as the race to succeed Graham begins to take shape.

Sen Darline Graham Nordone, Graham's sister, who was appointed to complete his term, announced that she is running for a full term and has already secured President Donald Trump's endorsement.

GOP Reps Russell Fry and Ralph Norman have also entered the race, and the filing window for the special primary opens July 21 and closes a week later. The special election is set for August 11, with a runoff between the top two candidates on August 25 if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote.

Whoever wins the Republican primary will be considered the heavy favorite in the general election, given the seat's history.

Mace's decision removes one of the race's most nationally recognizable names from contention, leaving Darline, Fry, and Norman to compete for the Republican nomination in a contest already drawing attention for its ties to Lindsey's legacy and Trump's early involvement.