Key facts
- Darline Graham has advanced to a runoff in the South Carolina Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat.
- Graham is the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham and currently serves as interim senator.
- A runoff election is scheduled for August 25, as no candidate is expected to win over 50% of the vote.
- Notable Republican candidates include Congressmen Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, and former Governor Mark Sanford.
- Darline Graham has received endorsements from Donald Trump, Governor Henry McMaster, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
- The Republican nominee will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the general election.
South Carolina Republicans held a special primary election Tuesday to determine the nominee for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the late Senator Lindsey Graham. Darline Graham, the senator's sister and the appointed interim senator, has advanced to a runoff election, according to media projections. No candidate secured more than 50% of the vote, necessitating a runoff scheduled for August 25.
Graham has garnered significant endorsements, including from President Donald Trump, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Her campaign has emphasized her brief tenure in Washington and experience running a state agency. Other notable Republican contenders in the primary included U.S. Representatives Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, and former Governor Mark Sanford. Fry's campaign has reportedly criticized Graham's stance on datacenter development.
The Republican nominee will proceed to face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the general election. Some local party officials have expressed skepticism regarding the effectiveness of Donald Trump's endorsements in South Carolina.