Darline Graham won the Republican Party’s nomination in South Carolina’s Senate race on Tuesday and will now face off against Democrat Annie Andrews in the November general election to succeed the late Senator Lindsey Graham. Graham, endorsed by President Donald Trump, defeated Representative Ralph Norman in the Republican primary, winning roughly 52 percent of the vote, according to the , which called the race for Graham at 9:01 p.m. The South Carolina special primary election was held after Lindsey Graham, who had represented the state in the Senate since 2003, died on July 11 from an aortic dissection.
He was up for reelection this year and won the party’s nomination in June, so his death required Republicans to select a new candidate. At Trump's recommendation, Republican Governor Henry McMaster had appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham, to fill the seat through the end of the current term. Andrews secured the Democratic nomination in June.
South Carolina is a difficult state for Democrats, having backed Trump by 18 points in 2024. But Democrats believe the race could become more competitive as the president’s approval rating falls nationwide amid economic and cost-of-living concerns. Andrews previously told Newsweek she believes the seat could flip this year.
We’re feeling really good about the grassroots aspect of our fundraising and building our war chest and getting us ready to compete against whoever emerges from this Republican primary,” she said in an interview earlier in August. Republican candidates, she said, have been racing “to the right” to prove loyalty to Trump. She said she believes the administration has not done enough to address economic concerns like gas prices, making the seat more of a potential flip.
Polling of the race has been limited following Lindsey Graham’s death. Andrews’ campaign released an internal poll showing a tight race, but no independent surveys have been made public to back that up; independent polling is generally seen as more reliable than internal polling. Prior to Graham’s death, an internal poll released by the Andrews campaign also showed a close race, with Graham leading by 3 points, 48 percent to 45 percent.
Impact Research conducted the poll among 700 likely voters from June 17 to 22, 2026. Nonpartisan pollsters have not released any public polling on the race. Prediction markets give Republicans a large advantage.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
