Nikki Haley Responds To Running For Graham’s 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.