South Carolina voters will participate in a special primary election in August to name a GOP nominee to fill the seat formerly held by Sen. Lindsey Graham in the upper chamber.
Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC) was sworn in to fill the remainder of her late brother’s unexpired term last week after Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) appointed her to the seat. Initially expected to serve in a temporary, caretaker capacity until Graham’s elected permanent replacement filled the seat in January, Nordone’s prospects shifted when President Donald Trump endorsed and publicly encouraged her to run for the full term.
Graham was up for reelection in 2026, and he had won the primary in June, defeating the next-closest candidate, businessman Mark Lynch, by a 27.9-point margin.
The special Republican primary will take place on Aug. 11 to see which candidate will take on Democrat Annie Andrews in the November general election. Here’s a list of the candidates who have declared their candidacies in the special GOP primary election.
Darline Graham Nordone
Nordone announced on Monday that she would seek a full term to replace her brother in the Senate permanently.
“I have been praying a lot, talking to my family. But with the love of my family, with the support of his staff, I know I’m a hard worker. I learned that from Lindsey. He cared about the people of this state. I have worked for almost 30 years for the people of this state,” Nordone told Fox News’s Sean Hannity.
Nordone, 62, has never held elected office and has only been in the political spotlight when she was campaigning with or appearing at events alongside her brother. She has built her career around disability advocacy, serving as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and president of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind. As she completes Graham’s term, Nordone sits as South Carolina’s first female senator.
Nordone told the outlet on Monday evening that she would be focused on “what matters to the average person,” listing affordability concerns such as lowering the price of groceries, gas, healthcare, and insurance. In doing so, she also hinted that she may take less of a national security-focused approach than her late brother did in the upper chamber.
DARLINE GRAHAM NORDONE SIGNALS BREAK WITH LATE BROTHER’S DEFENSE-FOCUSED SENATE LEGACY
Russell Fry
Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC) announced on Monday morning that he would be running in the Aug. 11 special primary as well. Fry pitched himself as the “conservative MAGA candidate” of the primary.
“Too many South Carolina families are struggling to make ends meet. High gas prices and soaring grocery costs are hurting hardworking people. We need a conservative fighter in the Senate who delivers real results,” Fry said in a statement on Monday.
The two-term congressman currently represents the Palmetto State’s 7th Congressional District, covering the northeast part of the state, including Myrtle Beach. Fry serves in a “Solid Republican” seat, per the Cook Political Report, and won his 2024 election by 29.9 points.
Trump had told Newsmax before endorsing Nordone for the full term that Fry would be an “outstanding” pick for the seat.
Ralph Norman
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), who had mulled challenging Graham in 2025, entered the special primary race over the weekend.
“I’m running to represent the people of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate because we need a fighter who will stand with President Trump and carry on Lindsey Graham’s legacy,” Norman said.
Norman gave a nod to the SAVE America Act in his announcement, saying he wants to see it passed in the upper chamber.
“I’ve spent years fighting for the Palmetto State in the state house, in Congress, and now I want to get the SAVE America Act passed in the Senate,” Norman said.
The five-term South Carolina legislator initially asked Trump for his endorsement in the race, but the president rebuffed him, saying it was “too early,” before backing Nordone. Norman told NewsNation this week that he will not drop his bid despite Trump’s endorsement of Nordone, saying, “We’ve got a country to save.”
Norman represents central northern South Carolina and also serves in a safe GOP district, winning his race in 2024 by a 27.2-point margin. He ran for governor this year, coming in third in the GOP primary, falling to Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Other candidates
Businessman Mark Lynch will also run again for the Senate seat after falling to Graham by 27.9 points in the first go-around for the GOP nomination.
Lynch said he is campaigning on giving South Carolina and Americans “secure elections, secure borders, and leaders who will keep their promises.”
THUNE WON’T ENDORSE DARLINE GRAHAM NORDONE FOR FULL TERM ‘AT THE MOMENT’
Recurring political candidate Duke Buckner is also running to replace Graham, according to local media outlets. Buckner challenged Graham before and has also challenged Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), falling by double digits to each.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has ruled out a bid for Graham’s seat.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
