Key facts
- South Carolina Republicans are voting in a special primary to choose a successor for the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
- Darline Graham, the senator's sister, was appointed interim senator and is a candidate for the full term.
- Ten candidates are running in the primary, with a runoff election scheduled for August 25 if no candidate wins a majority.
- Donald Trump has endorsed Darline Graham, calling it a 'fabulous tribute' to her brother.
- Critics view Darline Graham's bid as an 'attempted coronation' based on family name and presidential backing.
- Other notable Republican candidates include U.S. Representatives Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, and former Governor Mark Sanford.
South Carolina Republicans are heading to the polls on Tuesday to select a successor for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who died last month. Ten candidates are competing in a special primary election. Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham's sister, has been appointed interim senator and is running with the endorsement of Donald Trump. Critics, however, have described her bid as an 'attempted coronation' based on family name recognition and presidential backing, without a political record of her own.
If no candidate secures a majority in Tuesday's vote, the top two contenders will advance to a runoff election on August 25. Among the other prominent Republican candidates are U.S. Representatives Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, and former Governor Mark Sanford. Businessman Mark Lynch, who placed second in the original primary field before Senator Graham's death, is also running and has criticized the perceived coronation of Darline Graham.
The eventual Republican nominee will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the November general election. Trump won South Carolina in 2024 by nearly 18 percentage points, but some Republicans question the potency of his endorsement in the state, with Representative Nancy Mace predicting that Darline Graham could lose her Senate bid, similar to another Trump-backed candidate for governor.