Nancy Mace eyes run for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is "strongly considering" a run for U.S. Senate following the sudden death of Sen. https://www.axios.com/2026/07/12/lindsey-graham-dies-suddenly-71" target="_blank">Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), two sources familiar with her thinking told Axios.

Driving the news: Graham passed away late Saturday from "a brief and sudden illness," his office announced in a statement early Sunday morning.

• South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster will be able to appoint an interim replacement to serve out the remainder of Graham's term through Jan. 3.
• But Graham was up for reelection this cycle, meaning an Aug. 11 special election will have to be held to replace him as the GOP nominee.
• The winner of the primary will face Democratic candidate Annie Andrews, a doctor, in November.

What we're hearing: One of the sources familiar with Mace's thinking characterized her mindset as "YOLO," or "you only live once."

• Mace's team plans to get a poll in the field on Monday gauging her viability, the second source said.
• Mace previously ran for South Carolina governor but finished fifth in the primary.

  State attorney general Alan Wilson won the nomination.

The intrigue: Mace has run for this seat once before.

• She ran in the 2014 primary in the hopes of unseating Graham, finishing fifth behind the incumbent and three other primary challengers.
• She went on to be elected to the state legislature in 2018 before ascending to Congress in 2020.
• She began her tenure in the House as a Trump-critical Republican, but later became an https://www.axios.com/2024/03/12/nancy-mace-george-stephanopoulos-trump-abc" target="_blank">outspoken Trump supporter and https://www.axios.com/2024/11/20/nancy-mace-new-transgender-bathroom-bill" target="_blank">social conservative.