Senator Tim Scott is actively recruiting former Representative Trey Gowdy to fill the South Carolina Senate seat left vacant by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, calling the Fox News host multiple times daily to gauge his interest in the special election.
Scott made his pitch public on Wednesday during an event honoring Graham, saying he has “an affinity for Trey Gowdy” and that the former prosecutor “would be an amazing senator for South Carolina.” According to Politico, Scott has already made a round of calls pitching Gowdy as a possible short-term pick to serve out the remaining months of Graham’s term, which expires at the end of 2026.
Graham, a four-term Republican who represented South Carolina since 2002, died Saturday at age 71 from aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a preliminary examination by the District of Columbia’s medical examiner released Sunday. The senator had just returned from an overseas trip and was scheduled to appear on television the day he died.
Gowdy served in the House from 2011 to 2019 and gained national attention as chair of the House Select Committee investigating then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s response to the 2012 attack on the U.S. government compound in Benghazi, Libya. He has since become host of Fox News’ “Sunday Night in America.” Scott noted that Gowdy’s background as a prosecutor and his foreign policy experience mirror Graham’s own areas of expertise, and that he could easily step into Graham’s expected role on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Scott and Gowdy have maintained a close relationship since both were first elected to Congress in 2010, and the two co-authored a book together published in 2018. During his Wednesday remarks, Scott acknowledged the challenge ahead: “I’m trying to get him interested in it, but we’ll see if that works out at all.” He added that Gowdy “has been pretty clear that he is not looking for the job, asking for the job.” Scott joked that Gowdy might balk at the position because he “could not afford the alimony or the pay cut,” though he clarified that Gowdy is happily married.
South Carolina Republicans will hold a special primary election on August 11 to determine the Republican nominee for the remainder of Graham’s term. Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham Nordone, the late senator’s sister, to fill the vacancy temporarily. Other potential candidates have emerged, including Representative Russell Fry, who has communicated with the White House about entering the race and is seen as having President Donald Trump’s backing. Trump has suggested Fry, whom he hand-picked to run for the House four years ago, would be a person to watch in the special election.
Sources
- Fox News — Tim Scott’s remarks on Gowdy, his background as a prosecutor, and their relationship; Gowdy’s House service and Benghazi committee role
- Politico — Scott’s recruitment calls to Gowdy, their relationship beginning in 2010 and co-authored book, Graham’s cause of death and age, special primary election date of August 11
