Key facts
- Rep. Nancy Mace announced she will not run for the U.S. Senate.
- The seat was vacated by the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
- Mace previously ran for governor and finished fifth in the primary.
- She explored a Senate bid shortly after Graham's death.
- Mace stated her current political fight is more important.
Firebrand Republican Representative Nancy Mace announced Monday that she will not run for the South Carolina Senate seat held by the late Lindsey Graham. Mace stated her decision was not due to backing down from a fight, but because "the one I’m already in matters right now."
Her announcement follows an unsuccessful run for governor earlier this year, where she finished in fifth place in the Republican primary. Mace had begun exploring the possibility of a Senate bid hours after Graham's death became public, but ultimately decided against a second statewide campaign in as many months. Her current term in the House of Representatives is set to end early next year, leaving her political future uncertain.
President Donald Trump had previously backed Senator Darline Graham for a full term and had clashed with Mace over various issues, including the release of Jeffrey Epstein files. Allies of Trump have reportedly raised these past disagreements in private discussions regarding Graham's Senate seat.