South Carolina Republicans will vote on August 11 to select their nominee for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of four-term incumbent Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11 at age 71 from an aortic dissection. The special primary will determine which Republican candidate faces Democrat Annie Andrews in the November 3 general election.
Graham’s death triggered two parallel processes under South Carolina law. Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham, the late senator’s sister, to serve as temporary replacement until early January, allowing the state to maintain full Senate representation. The special primary filing period opened on July 13 and closed July 28, with candidate filing fees set at $10,440.
Multiple prominent Republicans have entered the race. According to a recent Emerson College poll released July 30, U.S. Representative Ralph Norman leads with 22 percent support, followed by Darline Graham at 19 percent and U.S. Representative Russell Fry at 12 percent. Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford also entered the race, polling at 11 percent. A quarter of likely Republican voters remain undecided.
Norman, who represents South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District, announced his candidacy on July 18 and has secured endorsements from fellow House members including Representative Nancy Mace. Russell Fry, who represents the strongly Republican 7th Congressional District in the Myrtle Beach area, entered the race on July 20. Both representatives are running for Senate while also seeking reelection to their House seats, which state election law permits.
The South Carolina Republican Party has faced legal challenges over its candidate qualification rules. The party disqualified three candidates—Danny Ford, Clark Neilson, and another—for failing to meet party requirements. Ford was disqualified for not voting in at least two of the past three statewide elections; Neilson was removed for residing in North Carolina. On July 30, a judge indicated the South Carolina GOP would likely lose its case, potentially affecting the ballot composition days before the primary.
Darline Graham’s ballot eligibility has been questioned by GOP leaders, adding uncertainty to her status as both the temporary senator and a candidate in the primary. Her appointment by McMaster and her candidacy in the same race have drawn scrutiny, though she remains on the ballot.
The winner of the August 11 primary will face Andrews, a pediatrician who won the Democratic primary on June 9 with 46.3 percent of the vote. The general election on November 3 will determine who represents South Carolina in the Senate for the remainder of Graham’s term, which runs through early January 2027. A subsequent election in 2028 will determine who holds the seat for the next full six-year term.
Sources
- NPR — Lindsey Graham’s death on July 11, 2026, at age 71, and the trigger for the special primary
- AP News — Governor McMaster’s appointment of Darline Graham as temporary replacement
- Emerson College Polling — July 30 poll showing Norman at 22%, Darline Graham at 19%, Russell Fry at 12%, and Mark Sanford at 11%
- PBS NewsHour — Ralph Norman’s endorsements and candidate entry details
- The State — Russell Fry’s entry into the race on July 20
- South Carolina Votes (official) — Candidate filing deadline of July 28 and filing fee of $10,440
- News from the States — Candidate disqualifications and legal challenges to GOP rules
- Ballotpedia — General election date of November 3, 2026, and Democratic nominee Annie Andrews
