Trump-backed interim senator to face Rep. Ralph Norman in Aug. 25 runoff
Darline Graham, the sister of the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, has advanced to a Republican runoff election in South Carolina’s special U.S. Senate race after no candidate secured a majority in Tuesday’s crowded GOP primary.
Media projections show Graham finishing in the top two, setting up a head-to-head runoff on Aug. 25 against U.S. Representative Ralph Norman. The contest will determine the Republican nominee for both the remainder of the current Senate term and a full six-year term beginning in 2027.
Graham, who was appointed earlier this year by Governor Henry McMaster to temporarily fill the seat following Lindsey Graham’s death on July 11 from an aortic dissection, entered the primary with strong establishment backing. She received endorsements from President Donald Trump, McMaster, and Senator Tim Scott, positioning her as an early frontrunner in a crowded field.
Despite that support, Graham fell short of the majority threshold in a 10-candidate Republican primary, which also included former Governor Mark Sanford, Rep. Russell Fry, and businessman Mark Lynch. South Carolina election rules require a runoff when no candidate surpasses 50% of the vote.
Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, finished second and narrowly advanced ahead of Fry. He is expected to campaign on a strongly conservative platform and has emphasized his alignment with the state’s grassroots Republican base.
Graham, a former public service administrator and disability advocate, has centered her campaign on affordability, government accountability, and continuing her brother’s legislative priorities. In post-primary remarks, she described herself as “a public servant, not a career politician,” and thanked supporters for their backing.
The Aug. 25 runoff is expected to draw national attention as a test of Trump’s influence in South Carolina Republican politics and a high-profile clash between establishment-backed and hardline conservative factions.
The winner will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the Nov. 3 general election, though Republicans remain heavily favored in the deeply conservative state.
