The shocking July 11 death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham put three big questions at the top of Palmetto State political watchers’ agendas:
- Who would Gov. Henry McMaster appoint to complete Graham’s Senate term through Jan. 3?
- Who would run in the special Aug. 11 GOP primary to replace him on this November’s ballot?
- And who would be eligible to vote in that primary?
Two of those questions got quick answers this week. On July 13, McMaster appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve out the remainder of her brother’s term. The next day, she was sworn in with word that she would use her legal name, Darline Graham, in the Senate.
On July 15, the S.C. Election Commission ruled any registered voter who didn’t participate in last month’s June 9 Democratic primary will be eligible to vote in the special Aug. 11 primary.
But with the filing period for the race set to open July 21, the third question – who is running – is still up in the air, as potential candidates jockey for position and speculation focuses on a handful of leading contenders.
U.S. Rep. Russell Fry: Representing the 7th District since 2023, Fry is said to be President Donald Trump’s first choice for the seat — a claim that Trump seemed to encourage when he went out of his way to call Fry “outstanding” in a July 13 interview.
Former Gov. and U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford: Sanford, who pulled out of this year’s 1st District GOP primary at the last minute, reportedly filed paperwork on Thursday to change the name of his shuttered U.S. House campaign committee to “Mark Sanford for Senate,” fueling speculation that he’s about to jump into the race.
Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette: After two terms as McMaster’s understudy, Evette’s run for the top job crashed last month when she lost the GOP gubernatorial runoff to state Attorney General Alan Wilson 69% to31%. But sources close to Evette told CBS News this week that she’s been “inundated” with requests to run.
U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman: Norman, who gave up his 5th District House seat for a third-place finish in last month’s GOP primary for governor, has made it clear he’s looking at the race, but hasn’t yet formally announced.
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace: Like Norman, the 1st District congresswoman gave up her seat in an unsuccessful governor’s run, coming in dead last in a field of five. Nevertheless, she’s said to be looking hard at the race.
Mark Lynch: The Upstate businessman who finished a distant second to Graham in the June primary is the only candidate who’s formally said he’s running to date.
Gov. Henry McMaster: While the term-limited McMaster hasn’t given any indication to date that he’s looking at a bid, his longtime popularity among GOP and general election voters have kept his name in the mix.
Darline Graham: Though perceived by many to be a placeholder, the now-incumbent senator has not said she won’t seek the seat.
Other names being mentioned include former U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy and former governors David Beasley and Nikki Haley, though none have publicly expressed an interest in the race.
Polling on the race has so far been light, but an Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media survey released July 16 showed “Undecided” leading the field at 18%. Other results: Norman (16.4%), Lynch (12.5%), Mace (10.1%), Evette (9.9%), Fry (9.4%), McMaster (7.7%) and Mark Sanford (5.4%).
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