South Carolina Republicans Vote in Special Senate Primary

South Carolina is conducting a special Republican primary on August 12, 2026, to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham on July 11. The race features 10 candidates, including Darline Graham, the senator's sister and current interim appointee, who received an endorsement from President Donald Trump during a tele-rally.

Other candidates include U.S. Representatives Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, former Governor Mark Sanford, and businessman Mark Lynch. The South Carolina Election Commission reported that 61,775 ballots were cast during the three-day early voting period. Because a candidate must secure 50 percent of the vote to win outright, observers and candidate Danny Ford II expect the race to proceed to a runoff on August 25 between the top two finishers.

Logistical challenges emerged in Lexington County, where officials shifted polling locations from schools to churches and libraries to accommodate the start of the school year. The estimated cost for the special election is nearly $200,000. The eventual Republican winner will face Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews in the general election this November.