The successor of the historic Lindsey Graham will compete in the runoff after winning the first round
Senator Darline Graham (Republican from South Carolina) advanced to a runoff in the race to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham's seat.
The historic Lindsey Graham, who had already won the Republican primary and was seeking reelection in November, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly last month, leading to a special primary being called. Governor Henry McMaster, with Trump's blessing, appointed his sister, Darline Graham, to complete the term until January of next year.
Darline chose to run for the Republican nomination for a full term that would extend until 2032. So far, the candidate leads the primary with 32.5% of the votes, with Representatives Ralph Norman and Russell Fry competing for second place —and thus access to the runoff— as the counting progressed, while former Representative Mark Sanford, former Senate candidate Mark Lynch, and other lesser-known candidates vie for third and fourth place.
After taking her brother's seat in his honor, Darline Graham met with Trump at the White House. In that meeting, the president asked her to run for a full six-year term to continue honoring Lindsey's legacy, who was one of the most prominent figures in the Republican Party in American politics and whose name carried influence both nationally and internationally.
