COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Republican voters on Tuesday narrowed the field to replace the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, with his sister Darline Graham and U.S. Representative Ralph Norman advancing to a runoff after neither secured the majority needed to win the party’s special primary outright.
The Aug. 11 vote was held to choose the Republican nominee who will replace Lindsey Graham’s name on the November ballot. The winner of the Aug. 25 runoff will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the Nov. 3 general election.
Darline Graham, who was appointed by Republican Governor Henry McMaster to serve the remainder of her brother’s Senate term, entered the primary with the endorsement of President Donald Trump. She is seeking a full term after initially being appointed to serve only until January 2027.
Norman, a Republican congressman, finished second in the crowded field. Representative Russell Fry, former Governor Mark Sanford and businessman Mark Lynch were among the other major candidates competing for the nomination. The race attracted 10 Republican candidates, according to reports.
Because South Carolina Republicans require a candidate to receive more than half the vote to avoid a runoff, the top two finishers will compete again on Aug. 25. The special primary was organized after Lindsey Graham’s death left Republicans without the nominee who had won the party’s June primary.
Lindsey Graham, a Republican who had represented South Carolina in the Senate since 2003, died on July 11 at age 71. McMaster appointed his sister three days later to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. State law permits the governor to make such an appointment until voters choose a successor.
The November contest will determine who serves the next full Senate term. Andrews, a Charleston-area pediatrician, secured the Democratic nomination earlier this year, while Libertarian candidate Kasie Whitener is also on the general-election ballot.
The Republican runoff between Graham and Norman is scheduled for Aug. 25, after which the party’s nominee will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
