Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., has publicly questioned the eligibility of Darline Graham, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and President Donald Trump's favored candidate for the South Carolina Senate seat, to appear on the Republican primary ballot.
Mace's concerns, shared with Fox News Digital, center on whether Graham meets the state's new election laws regarding primary voting history. "She has no record and I'm not even sure that she's qualified to be on the ballot," Mace stated. She specifically cited a new state law enacted in July that requires candidates to have voted in at least two of the last three Republican primaries to be eligible.
Darline Graham announced her candidacy for the special primary election to run for a full term in the Senate following the death of her brother. Mace acknowledged the difficult circumstances but reiterated her doubts about Graham's qualifications, particularly her lack of a political record and potential voting record issues.
Mace is not the only one raising questions. South Carolina GOP Chairman CJ Westfall confirmed that the party is seeking a formal determination on whether Graham meets the party's qualifications to run, a request that stemmed from conversations with local voters about Graham's experience and voting history. Mace has instead endorsed Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., for the Senate seat, describing him as a "tried-and-true conservative" with a consistent voting record. Mace had previously been considered a potential candidate for the seat but announced she would not run.
President Trump has endorsed Darline Graham, urging her to run via a post on Truth Social. However, Mace suggested that South Carolina voters are independent-minded conservatives who will make their own decisions, regardless of endorsements.