Nancy Mace Declines to Run for South Carolina Senate Seat

Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina announced on Monday, July 20, 2026, that she will not seek the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the late Senator Lindsey Graham. In a video posted on social media, Mace stated she would instead focus on advocating for victims of sexual abuse and harassment during the remainder of her House term.

Mace said her decision was driven by a commitment to unfinished business, specifically seeking justice for women and girls. She has been a prominent advocate for the release of documents related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and pushed for greater accountability for sexual misconduct, including introducing a resolution in March to compel the House Ethics Committee to release investigative records involving lawmakers.

Her announcement follows a disappointing fifth-place finish in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary last month, a result that political observers noted weakened her statewide prospects. The Senate race is already crowded with declared candidates, including Republican Representatives Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, businessman Mark Lynch, and Darline Graham Nordone, the late senator’s...