Want to Know Who Comes After Donald Trump? Keep an Eye on Today’s GOP Primary.

South Carolina GOP Primary for Senate Seat to Test Voter Preferences in Special Election

South Carolina voters will participate in a Republican primary on Tuesday to select a nominee for the Senate seat previously held by Lindsey Graham. The contest follows Graham’s death in July and comes after an initial nomination process in June. With 10 candidates on the ballot, the race is expected to advance to a runoff on Aug. 25 if no candidate secures a majority.

The outcome will determine the Republican nominee in a state where the party holds a strong position. Democrats have nominated Annie Andrews, a pediatrician from Charleston who previously ran for a House seat in 2022. The general election is scheduled for November.

The primary has drawn attention because South Carolina has seen few open Senate seats in recent decades. Only four men have been elected to the seat in the past century. Four candidates are viewed as having the strongest prospects: Darline Graham, who was appointed to the seat after her brother’s death; former Gov. Mark Sanford; Rep. Russell Fry; and Rep. Ralph Norman.

Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, was selected as a temporary appointee. She has limited prior elected experience and has granted interviews primarily to national outlets while limiting initial engagement with local media. Her campaign has emphasized support from Donald Trump and has highlighted her position in favor of eliminating the Senate filibuster.

Mark Sanford previously served as governor and as a member of Congress. He lost a House primary after Trump endorsed his opponent and briefly challenged Trump in the 2020 presidential primary. Sanford has positioned his campaign around fiscal issues.

Russell Fry was elected to the House in 2022 after defeating incumbent Tom Rice in a primary. Rice had voted to impeach Trump over efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. Fry has aligned with Trump on legislative matters since taking office. His candidacy has raised questions about the timing of any vacancy in his House district if he advances.

Ralph Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, ran unsuccessfully for governor earlier in 2026 before entering the Senate race. Norman endorsed Nikki Haley during the 2024 Republican presidential primary.

Public polling for the contest has been limited, and turnout patterns in an August special election remain difficult to project. Candidates are expected to draw support from different regions: Fry in the Myrtle Beach area, Norman near the Charlotte suburbs, and Sanford in the Charleston region.

The race follows a June primary in which Lindsey Graham received 56 percent of the vote against challenger Mark Lynch. A super PAC supporting Graham spent funds on advertisements criticizing Lynch’s record. Lynch has entered the current special election but is not considered a leading contender.

Outside spending has played a role in the special primary. Pro-Darline Graham committees and her campaign have accounted for roughly $1.8 million of the approximately $4 million spent on media to date. Fry and aligned groups have spent about $1 million, while Sanford’s campaign has spent about $640,000.

Advertisements from super PACs have included negative content. One pro-Graham group aired material portraying Fry alongside figures from both parties. A Fry-aligned committee has criticized Norman’s hiring practices.

The contest occurs in a state that has consistently supported Republican Senate candidates in recent cycles. The winner of the Republican nomination will face Andrews in November.