South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death on Sunday shocked the nation and drew an outpouring of prayers.
Now, several prominent figures are being floated as possible replacements for Graham.
One of those names is Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina Republican governor and former U.N. ambassador in President Donald Trump’s first term.
However, a spokesperson for Haley has told Bloomberg that she is not interested in running in the South Carolina Senate special election to replace Graham.
Haley, who ran for president in 2024 and has remained active in Republican circles, shared a warm public tribute to Graham on Instagram on Sunday shortly after news of his passing.
In the post, she wrote, “Lindsey loved South Carolina deeply. There was never a day he stopped fighting for the people of our state. Through his military service and years in public office, he gave his all to protect America and our freedom-loving allies. He was truly one of a kind. Michael and I are lifting up Darline and his entire family in prayer during this difficult time.”
The post received significant engagement, with some commenters urging Haley to consider running for the seat herself, calling her “the most qualified person” for the role.
The vacancy comes at a sensitive time for South Carolina Republicans, who hold strong majorities in the state but face a potentially open race for a long-held Senate 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.
His office has not confirmed those reports.
Under South Carolina law, the governor appoints a temporary replacement to serve until a special election is held.
The special election is expected to coincide with the November general election, with the winner serving the remainder of Graham’s term.
Graham was first elected to the Senate in 2002 after serving four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Over more than two decades in the Senate, he became one of Congress’ leading voices on national security and foreign policy and, in recent years, one of President Trump’s closest allies on Capitol Hill.
With Graham’s passing, attention is now shifting from mourning one of South Carolina’s longest-serving senators to what is expected to become one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.
