Nikki Haley Responds To Running For Graham’s Seat

Graham had been a fixture in the Senate since 2003, known for his hawkish foreign policy views and close alliance with former President Donald Trump recently.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said Sunday that she is open to running for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, while emphasizing that her immediate focus remains on honoring her longtime colleague.

Appearing on Fox News Live, Mace was asked whether she was considering a campaign for the seat.

She said she was still processing Graham’s death but acknowledged the possibility had crossed her mind.

“I’m never going to shut the door,” Mace said.

“I love the state of South Carolina. You only live once, and you know, if the people of South Carolina would like me to serve in that capacity, I’ll certainly take a look at it. But right now, I just want to focus on him and his legacy.”

Mace’s comments came hours after Graham’s office announced that the senator died Saturday evening at the age of 71 following what it described as a “brief and sudden illness.”

Graham had returned to Washington only a day earlier after a trip to Ukraine, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and reaffirmed his support for Kyiv in its war against Russia.

Although no official cause of death has been released, emergency dispatch audio from Saturday referenced a response to Graham’s Washington residence for a reported cardiac arrest.