Sen. Darline Graham running for full term to replace late brother Lindsey Graham
Sen. Darline Graham enters an increasingly crowded Republican field to fill the seat of her late brother Lindsey Graham, who died earlier this month.
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U.S. Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC) participates in a a ceremonial swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol on July 14, 2026 in Washington, DC.
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South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham announced Monday that she will seek a full, six-year term to replace her brother, Lindsey Graham, in the Senate.
Graham last week was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to fill the seat of her brother, who died unexpectedly on July 11, through the end of the year. Now she has her sights on a more permanent stay in Congress, telling Fox News' Sean Hannity "I'm in," in an interview on Monday.
"I have been praying a lot, talking to my family ... I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes. Absolutely," Graham said. She's now the fifth South Carolina Republican who says they'll vie for the job in a special GOP primary scheduled for Aug. 11.
Filing for the special primary officially opens at noon ET on Tuesday. The winner of that primary will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the general election this November, in a race the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter had labeled "Solid R.
Graham has been a sworn member of the Senate for less than a week, but already she's earned the blessing of President Donald Trump.
In a TruthSocial post on Friday, the president urged Graham to seek the nomination and called her a "spectacular person, and a true American Patriot."
"[T]here would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey. Darline, who comes from an absolutely incredible family, has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement in the Special Election for U.S. Senate in South Carolina — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN. RUN, DARLINE, RUN!" Trump wrote.
Her run sets up a showdown with other prominent Palmetto State Republicans.
South Carolina Rep. Russell Fry announced on Monday that he was throwing his name in the ring, days after fellow South Carolinian Rep. Ralph Norman announced he'd run.
"South Carolina, I'm in! I'm running for the U.S. Senate. Too many South Carolina families are struggling to make ends meet. High gas prices and soaring grocery costs are hurting hardworking people," Fry said in his post.
"We need a conservative fighter in the Senate who delivers real results. I will be your conservative MAGA candidate in the special primary Senate election this summer. I'm ready for the fight, and I'm all in," the post continued.
Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., arrives for the House Republican Conference caucus meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
Bill Clark | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
Fry is a close Trump ally who has represented South Carolina's 7th Congressional District in the northeast part of the state since 2023. Norman, a conservative member of the House Freedom Caucus who failed in his bid for South Carolina governor in a GOP primary earlier this year, announced his plans to run for the Senate seat over the weekend.
"I'm running to represent the people of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate because we need a fighter who will stand with President Trump and carry on Lindsey Graham's legacy! I've spent years fighting for the Palmetto State in the state house, in Congress, and now I want to get the SAVE America Act passed in the Senate!" wrote Norman, referencing a controversial, Trump-backed election bill that would impose strict photo ID requirements and require proof of citizenship to register to vote.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., leaves a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
Tom Williams | Cq-roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images
Norman has represented South Carolina's 5th Congressional District in the north-central part of the state since 2017. He is not seeking reelection to the House.
A primary victory for Fry, who is seeking another House term, could complicate Republicans' path to retaining a House majority. If successful in his Senate bid, there's not enough time to replace Fry on the ballot for his House seat in November.
The South Carolina Election Commission confirmed in a statement last week that a candidate can appear on the general election ballot for multiple offices. But if Fry won both seats, he would need to decline to be sworn in to the House, triggering a special election in spring 2027 and potentially leaving the House GOP a member short to start the 120th Congress.
"I respect Russell Fry and I have enjoyed serving with him in the House, but the reality is, his candidacy could leave his seat vacant until May 18th. This would leave his constituents unrepresented, jeopardize President Trump's agenda, and put the House at risk of being led by a Speaker Hakeem Jeffries. We can't let that happen!!" Norman posted to X on Monday, referring to the Democratic House leader.
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Mark Lynch, a South Carolina businessman who came in second against Lindsey Graham in South Carolina's June GOP primary, announced on July 13 that he would enter the race. Duke Buckner, who launched two unsuccessful bids, in 2022 and 2024, to unseat Democratic Rep. James Clyburn in South Carolina's 6th Congressional District, has also announced his candidacy.
