Rep. Nancy Mace announced Monday that she will not seek the South Carolina Senate seat held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. Her decision clears the path for Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, who entered the race the same day with President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
Mace, a Republican, made the announcement in a video statement. “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,” she said.
Nordone confirmed her candidacy in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. “I’m in,” she said, citing family support and her decades of public service in the state. Trump endorsed her earlier, posting “RUN, DARLINE, RUN!” on Truth Social and praising her as “a spectacular person, and a true American Patriot.”
The special GOP primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, with a runoff set for Aug. 25 if needed. Other Republicans including Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman have also entered the race. The seat is rated Solid Republican by the Cook Political Report.
