Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-South Carolina) death over the weekend complicates many of President Donald Trump’s priorities, from the SAVE America Act to the nomination of Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche to take over that position permanently. The Trump White House is hoping to see Graham’s U.S. Senate seat filled as soon as possible, and they’re making it clear that Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina) is the last person they want.
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The possible contenders, according to Axios reporters Marc Caputo and Andrew Solender, range from Mace to Darline Graham Nordone (the late senator’s sister) to Rep. Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina). And Nordone is Trump’s top choice for the seat.
“President Trump wants South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister to fill his seat on an interim basis after his unexpected death early Sunday,” Caputo and Solender explain in Axios. “Why it matters: Trump has a close friendship and working relationship with South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R), who’s expected to make the temporary appointment today. Before Trump’s announcement that he favors Darline Graham Nordone to serve her brother’s term the rest of the year, Trump’s advisers were sending signaling that Graham Nordone likely would be the pick.”
In a July 13 post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina. This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
According to a Trump official interviewed on condition of anonymity, the White House has zero desire to see Mace appointed to the Senate seat Graham held for many years.
The official told Axios, “If Mace ends up in a runoff, we’ll drop $2 million on her head to keep her out. All we want is a Republican who is sane and can work with the White House.”
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NOTUS reporter Oriana Gonzáles highlighted that quote on X, tweeting, “this is… quite the quote about Nancy Mace.”
Another Trump official, also interviewed on condition of anonymity, had an equally scathing comment on Mace — telling Axios, “POTUS wasn’t a fan already, but putting herself out as a candidate while everyone was absorbing the news of Lindsey’s death was in poor taste, even for Mace.”
Mace believes that Trump’s allies are unfairly singling her out in light of the fact that
Mark Lynch (Graham’s GOP primary challenger) and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina) also floated their own names as possible contenders.
Mace told Axios, “Two men announced they were running to replace Lindsey Graham yesterday — within hours of his passing. I wasn’t one of them. The pearl clutching by people afraid I will run hit a new high.”
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