Nancy Mace eyes run for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat
· Axios
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is "strongly considering" a run for U.S. Senate following the sudden death of Sen. 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.
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- 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 outspoken Trump supporter and social conservative.