Darline Graham's Senate bid: Nancy Mace questions Trump-backed candidate, 'Not even sure she's qualified'
Rep Nancy Mace has raised questions over whether Sen Darline Graham is eligible to appear on the South Carolina Republican primary ballot, breaking with President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Graham’s bid for a full Senate term.
Mace, a South Carolina Republican, said she respects Graham’s decision to step into the race following the death of her brother, longtime Sen Lindsey Graham, but questioned whether she meets the requirements to run.
“Obviously I feel for her and losing Lindsey Graham, the entire state is mourning right now,” Mace told Fox News Digital. “It’s admirable and honorable what she’s done to take the reins for the next six months, but she has no record and I am not even sure she’s qualified to be on the ballot.”
Graham, who was appointed to temporarily fill the Senate vacancy created after her brother’s death, announced that she will seek a full term in the upcoming special Republican primary.
Nancy Mace questions ballot eligibility
Mace said her concerns are linked to South Carolina’s Republican primary participation rules, claiming it is unclear whether Graham has voted in enough GOP primaries to qualify.
“It’s not clear that she’s voted in enough Republican primary elections to be on the ballot,” Mace said.
“By new state election laws of July of this year, you had to have voted in the last two of the last three Republican primaries and it’s not clear she has,” she added.
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Mace is not the only Republican raising questions about Graham’s qualifications. South Carolina GOP Chairman CJ Westfall said he is pursuing a formal review to determine whether Graham meets party requirements to run.
Westfall said the request followed discussions with voters who raised concerns about Graham’s political experience and voting history.
Trump backs Darline Graham as Mace supports rival
Despite the questions, Trump has publicly backed Graham’s Senate campaign. Following a White House meeting with her, the president posted on Truth Social: “Run, Darline, run.”
Mace, however, has endorsed Rep Ralph Norman instead, describing him as a reliable conservative voice. “He’s a tried-and-true conservative,” Mace said. “He doesn’t bend, he does not back down, and he has a 100% conservative voting record.”
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get a conservative into the U.S. Senate in this seat. We’re not going to have this opportunity again in a while,” she added. Mace herself was considered a potential contender for the Senate seat but announced she would not enter the race.
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While Trump’s endorsements have often influenced Republican primaries, Mace said South Carolina voters may not simply follow the president’s preference.
“I think that you’ll see that South Carolina voters seem to be a little more… they’re conservative, but they’re also independent,” she said. “Independent conservatives.”
“They vote the way that they wanna vote, not because someone told them to. And I think you’ll see that in this race.”