Mace announces bid for US Senate seat in SC

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GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (AP) - The first woman to graduate from The Citadel has announced her plans to challenge U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in the Republican primary in 2014.

Nancy Mace announced her candidacy Saturday at a GOP breakfast in Goose Creek.

Mace told the audience that she thinks government is out of touch, and that while it has worked its way into every corner of American lives, the country isn't better off for it.

Mace runs a small public relations firm and graduated from The Citadel in 1999. She has sharply criticized Graham in the past several months for not being conservative enough.

State Sen. Lee Bright from Spartanburg says he also will enter the Republican primary soon. The only announced candidate to take on Graham is Anderson businessman Richard Cash.