Full Breakdown
South Carolina Rushes to Fill Senate Seat After Lindsey Graham’s Death
7/29/2026, 12:21:07 AM
Background & Timeline
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) died of an aortic dissection on July 11, two days after his 71st birthday. The filing window for the special primary opened on July 21, giving candidates a two-week period to submit paperwork. State election officials set the filing deadline for midday on the Tuesday following the opening of the window. Early voting is scheduled for the first week of August, and the primary itself will be held in mid-August. If no candidate secures a majority, a runoff is slated for late August.
Candidate Field
Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, to serve the remainder of the term. She has entered the race for the full six-year seat and received an endorsement from President Donald Trump as well as the Republican Jewish Coalition.
Other Republicans who have filed include:
- Rep. Ralph Norman, a former gubernatorial primary contender who has gathered endorsements from Rep. Nancy Mace and several law-enforcement officials.
- Rep. Russell Fry, a strongly pro-Trump congressman from the Myrtle Beach area.
- Former Gov. Mark Sanford, who previously challenged Trump in the 2020 Republican presidential primary and cites the nation’s fiscal trajectory as a motivator.
- Mark Lynch, a Greenville businessman who unsuccessfully challenged Graham in the June primary and is self-funding his campaign.
- Duke Buckner, a Walterboro attorney and perennial candidate.
- Former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride, who lost a 2004 Senate primary to Sen. Jim DeMint and a 2022 GOP congressional primary to Fry.
- Businessman Clark Neilson, who is establishing residency in South Carolina.
- Engineer Samuel Shepherd, focusing on tax cuts and reduced federal spending.
- Columbia resident Darius Mitchell, who describes himself as a “Hip Hop Republican.”
Ten Republicans have officially filed as of the latest count.
Election Mechanics
State officials require a candidate to obtain more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff. Should the primary produce a plurality rather than a majority, the top two vote-getters will face each other in a late-August runoff. The Republican nominee will meet Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews, a Charleston physician, in the November general election.
Political Context
President Trump’s early endorsement of Darline Graham signals continued influence over South Carolina’s GOP electorate. Governor McMaster’s appointment of Graham, described by an unnamed source close to the governor as not intended as a placeholder, has drawn scrutiny from party insiders questioning whether familial goodwill alone can secure a Senate seat. The crowded field reflects both establishment figures and long-shot candidates seeking to capitalize on the open seat.
Implications
The compressed timeline compresses campaign fundraising, voter outreach, and debate preparation into a two-week sprint. With a diverse slate of candidates and a potential runoff, the Republican primary could reshape the state’s Senate delegation and influence the broader balance of power in the U.S. Senate heading into the 2024 election cycle.
