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2w ago

Darline Graham Seeks Full Senate Term as Early Voting Opens in Crowded South Carolina GOP Primary

A test of President Trump's influence, the primary will name the Republican nominee who is likely to win in November.

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Darline Graham, sister of the late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, is ceremonially sworn in by Chuck Grassley (right), president pro tempore of the Senate, in the Old Senate Chamber at the Capitol in Washington, July 14, 2026, as her husband, Larry Nordone, holds the Bible.
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Darline Graham Nordone (L), sister of Lindsey Graham, is ceremonially sworn in as a US Senator by Senator Charles Grassley (R), Republican from Iowa, as her husband Larry Nordone (C) holds a Bible, in the Old Senate Chamber at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on July 14, 2026. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster on July 13 appointed the late Republican senator Lindsey Graham's younger sister to complete his term, hours after President Donald Trump publicly urged him to choose her. Darline Graham Nordone will serve in the US Senate until Graham's term expires in January, following his unexpected death at the weekend at the age of 71. Kent NISHIMURA / AFP via Getty

Overview

  • Darline Graham was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster and sworn in on July 14 and she has entered the expedited Republican special primary to win a full six‑year Senate term.
  • Early voting for the GOP special primary began on Thursday and the scheduled Aug. 11 primary is likely to produce an Aug. 25 runoff because no candidate is polling near a majority.
  • President Trump has publicly endorsed Graham and she has run TV ads stressing conservative positions while tying herself to her late brother's record.
  • Polls and a local straw poll show Graham, Rep. Russell Fry, and Rep. Ralph Norman near the top of a crowded field, leaving the outcome dependent on turnouts, short‑term campaigning, and endorsements.
  • If a Republican wins the special primary, that nominee will be heavily favored in November and the result could influence Senate dynamics depending on how closely the winner aligns with the president's agenda.