12 Republicans File for Special Primary to Succeed Late Sen. Lindsey Graham, 3 Disqualified

A crowded field of 12 Republicans submitted paperwork by Tuesday’s deadline to compete in a special primary for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of longtime Sen. Lindsey Graham, setting up a compressed two-week sprint to the Aug. 11 ballot.

Graham, a four-term Republican and key congressional ally of President Donald Trump, died earlier this month at age 71. He had already secured the GOP nomination in the June primary for a fifth term, facing no serious general-election threat in a state where Democrats have not won a statewide race in two decades. His sudden death forced South Carolina officials to organize an expedited process, with candidate filing limited to one week and closing at noon on July 28—the same day memorial services for Graham were underway in Washington and the state.

The resulting field mixes established elected officials, familiar political names, business figures, and longshots. Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, who was appointed by Republican Gov. Henry McMaster to serve out the remainder of the current term until January, is among those seeking the nomination for a full six-year term. A longtime political confidant who appeared in her brother’s campaigns and advertisements, she entered the race with Trump’s endorsement. McMaster’s appointment of her as interim senator was not initially framed as a vehicle for her own candidacy, according to people familiar with the decision.

Two sitting U.S. House members are also in the contest. Rep. Ralph Norman of the 5th District, a conservative who recently ran unsuccessfully for governor, has collected endorsements from fellow House colleagues including Rep. Nancy Mace and from law enforcement officials across the state. Rep. Russell Fry of the 7th District, who represents the Myrtle Beach area and has positioned himself as a strong Trump supporter, entered shortly after earlier signals of potential presidential interest in his candidacy.

Former Gov. and congressman Mark Sanford, whose political career was interrupted by a 2009 personal scandal, is making another bid for statewide office. Sanford had briefly explored a return to his former House seat earlier this year before dropping that race to focus on national debt issues through a nonprofit. Greenville businessman Mark Lynch, who finished second to Graham in the June primary, quickly relaunched his campaign and is expected to self-fund substantially.

Additional candidates who filed include Walterboro attorney Duke Buckner, a perennial challenger who has previously run against Rep. Jim Clyburn; former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride, who has sought federal office before; farmer Danny Ford II, son of the former Clemson football coach and a recent candidate for state agriculture commissioner; Columbia resident Darius Mitchell, who styles himself a “Hip Hop Republican”; Charlotte-area businessman Clark Neilson, who has said he is establishing South Carolina residency; retired Air Force officer Glenda Gail Parker of Myrtle Beach; and Lexington County biomedical engineer and entrepreneur Sam Shepherd.

If no candidate captures a majority on Aug. 11, a runoff is scheduled for Aug. 25. Early voting is set for Aug. 5–7. The Republican nominee will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a Charleston physician who won her party’s June primary while preparing to challenge Graham.

The South Carolina Republican Party later reviewed the filings and declined to certify three of the 12 candidates—Danny Ford II, Darius Mitchell, and Clark Neilson—citing eligibility issues including residency and recent participation in other statewide primaries. That action narrowed the official Aug. 11 ballot, though the initial filing produced one of the more crowded special Senate primaries in recent state history.The abbreviated timeline leaves little room for traditional campaigning. Candidates are racing to raise visibility, secure endorsements, and define themselves to voters still processing Graham’s death. Trump’s early backing of Darline Graham has already shaped the dynamics, while Norman and Fry bring established congressional profiles and fundraising networks. The winner will inherit a safely Republican seat but will do so after an unusually compressed and competitive nomination fight triggered by the unexpected vacancy.