Senator Darline Graham and Representative Ralph Norman have advanced to a runoff election in the special Republican Senate primary in South Carolina, according to the Associated Press. The runoff will occur in two weeks, as no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the primary held on August 11, 2026. Other candidates, including Representative Russell Fry and former Governor Mark Sanford, did not secure enough votes to continue in the race. This primary follows the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away at the age of 71 one month prior to the election.
The election is seen as a test of former President Donald Trump's influence within the GOP, as he endorsed Graham, the late senator's younger sister. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham to fill the remainder of the Senate term, which ends this year. Graham stated that her campaign aims to support Trump’s agenda.
Norman, who previously campaigned for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, and Fry, a two-term congressman, have both expressed their support for Trump during their Senate campaigns. Sanford, known for his fiscally conservative views, cited national debt concerns as a reason for his Senate candidacy.
The winner of the runoff will be viewed as the frontrunner against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the upcoming midterm elections.