South Carolina Republicans Vie to Replace Late Senator Lindsey Graham
Ten Republicans are competing in a special primary election Tuesday for a chance to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham on the general election ballot. The winner will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews.
Key takeaways
- Ten Republicans are competing in a special primary election on Tuesday in South Carolina.
- The election aims to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham.
- Senator Darline Graham, appointed to the interim seat, is running with President Trump's endorsement.
- A runoff election will occur on August 25 if no candidate wins a majority in the primary.
- The Republican nominee will face Democratic candidate Annie Andrews in the general election.
South Carolina Republicans are participating in a special primary election on Tuesday to determine who will compete for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham. Ten Republican candidates are vying for this opportunity.
The election addresses a vacancy created by Senator Graham's unexpected death on July 11. He had secured the Republican nomination for his seat on June 9. His passing necessitated a new process for both filling his current term and for the November ballot position.
Senator Darline Graham, appointed by Governor Henry McMaster to serve the remainder of her brother's term, is among the contenders. She has received President Donald Trump's endorsement for the general election nominee position. Other candidates include U.S. Representatives Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, former Governor Mark Sanford, and business owner Mark Lynch, who previously challenged Lindsey Graham in the June primary.
Should no candidate secure a majority of the votes in the special primary, a runoff election between the top two vote-getters is scheduled for August 25. The ultimate winner will contend against Democratic candidate Annie Andrews in the general election.
President Trump carried South Carolina with 58% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election. In 2020, Lindsey Graham won his reelection bid with 54% of the vote. Historically, Greenville County has been the most populous and a significant contributor to Republican primary outcomes, though it has shown independent tendencies. In the June primary, Mark Lynch received more votes than Lindsey Graham in Greenville County, and Ralph Norman outperformed the eventual runoff candidates for governor in that county.
Polls for the special primary are set to close at 7 p.m. ET. The Associated Press will report results and declare a winner for the special Republican primary. Voters eligible to cast ballots include those who participated in the June 9 Republican U.S. Senate primary, Republican primary voters, or registered voters who did not participate in any party primary. Approximately 3.4 million voters are registered in South Carolina. In the June 9 Republican U.S. Senate primary, around 465,000 voters cast ballots. About 29% of the vote in a previous election was cast early or by absentee ballot.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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