COLUMBIA, South Carolina — Republican voters in South Carolina will return to the polls on Aug. 25 for a runoff to choose the party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of longtime Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, with his sister Darline Graham facing U.S. Representative Ralph Norman.
Darline Graham led a 10-candidate Republican field in the Aug. 11 special primary but did not secure the majority required to win outright, according to media projections. Norman finished second. With about 80% of votes counted, Graham had 32.6% and Norman just over 24%, according to an Associated Press tally cited by Reuters.
The runoff will determine which Republican advances to the Nov. 3 general election against Democrat Annie Andrews. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve the remainder of her brother’s Senate term after his death, and state law provides for a special party primary to select a replacement for the November ballot.
Graham, who had not previously held elected office, entered the race with the endorsement of President Donald Trump. Trump backed her as a way to honor her brother’s legacy and urged her to seek a full six-year term.
Norman, a Republican congressman, campaigned for the nomination despite Trump’s support for Graham. His advancement to the runoff leaves him as the principal challenger to the interim senator after other prominent Republicans, including Representative Russell Fry and former Governor Mark Sanford, failed to make the final two.
The contest has drawn national attention in part because of Trump’s endorsement and the circumstances surrounding Lindsey Graham’s death. Governor McMaster said Darline Graham would serve until Jan. 3, 2027, when the new Congress convenes after the November election.
The winner of the Republican runoff will inherit a seat that Republicans have held for decades and will face Andrews in November. The South Carolina Election Commission has confirmed Aug. 25 as the date for the special Republican runoff, with the general election scheduled for Nov. 3.
