Senator Darline Graham and Representative Ralph Norman are set to face off in a runoff election later this month projections. The two candidates are competing for the Republican nomination to fill the Senate seat previously held by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away suddenly last month.
South Carolina election law mandates a runoff between the top two vote-getters if no candidate secures more than 50% of the primary vote. The upcoming runoff is scheduled for August 25. Ten candidates participated in Tuesday’s special primary, all vying for the chance to challenge Democrat Annie Andrews in the November general election.
The vacancy arose following the death of the four-term senator on July 11. Governor Henry McMaster subsequently appointed Darline Graham, the late senator’s sister, to complete the remainder of the term. Because the late senator had already secured the GOP nomination in June prior to his death, the party was required to select a new candidate for the ballot. The candidates engaged in a condensed campaign period following a filing window that ran from July 21 to July 28.
Darline Graham, 62, brings a background in disability services, most recently serving as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. Following her appointment, she announced her candidacy for a full six-year term with the encouragement and endorsement of President Trump. Despite the president’s support, she faced a crowded field of challengers, including Representative Russell Fry, who has served in the House since 2023, and Representative Ralph Norman, a House member since 2017. Other notable candidates included former Governor Mark Sanford and businessman Mark Lynch.
The relationship between the late senator and his sister was deeply personal; after their parents died in close succession, Lindsey Graham, then 22, adopted his 13-year-old sister. While opponents have acknowledged her connection to her brother’s legacy, they have frequently questioned her lack of prior elected office experience. In the Senate, Darline Graham has balanced her brother’s priorities—such as supporting a recent Russia sanctions bill—with her own policy agenda, signaling a focus on domestic issues and potentially more conservative positions than her brother’s famously hawkish stance.
The winner of the August 25 runoff will advance to the November contest for a seat considered a safe Republican hold. Lindsey Graham secured 54% of the vote in his 2020 reelection bid, and President Trump carried the state with 58% of the vote in 2024.
Russell Fry, who’s represented South Carolina in the House since 2023, and Norman, who’s done the same since 2017, along with former South Carolina Gov.
The candidates leapt into a weekslong sprint after Lindsey Graham’s death on July 11, with a filing period that took place from July 21 to 28, just ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
But the president’s endorsement didn’t prevent other Republicans from jumping into the race for a full term representing South Carolina.
For Darline Graham, that tight timeline has meant adjusting to her new role as a senator and hitting the campaign trail, while mourning the unexpected loss of her brother.
