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Tue, Aug 11, 2026
The Daily Caller

Will South Carolina Enter A Post-Graham Era?


Following the sudden death of Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, the race to replace him is shaping up as a pivotal moment for the state GOP.

The Daily Caller spoke with several South Carolina sources to provide a clearer picture of the candidates and the race's shifting dynamics.

For more than two decades, the late Sen. Graham's hawkish foreign policy views and influence within the Republican Party helped shape politics in the Palmetto State and left a lasting mark on the state's GOP. (RELATED: Lindsey Graham's Sister, Interim Replacement Says She's Running For Full Term)

Lindsey Graham's sudden death sent shockwaves through Republican circles, immediately forcing party leaders to confront who would temporarily fill his seat — and who could ultimately inherit the political network and influence he built over decades in office.

The first question was answered swiftly, with Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointing Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve as interim U.S. senator for the remainder of his term.

The second question — and the larger political fight over who will permanently fill the seat — was only beginning. Several Republicans quickly emerged as potential contenders, including GOP South Carolina Rep. Russell Fry, whose name was among the first floated as a possible candidate.

One source told NOTUS that President Donald Trump would consider backing Fry if Darline Graham ultimately decided not to run.

Just three days later, following Trump's endorsement, Fry announced his Senate bid. The next day, Darline Graham entered the race, setting up an unexpected Republican primary for her late brother's seat.

Many South Carolina Republicans were caught off guard, including South Carolina Freedom Conference Chairman Jordan Pace. He told the Caller that the initial reaction to Graham being named interim senator was largely positive, but quickly shifted once she began signaling she might run for the full six-year term.

"But as soon as she started making noise, or people around her started intimating that maybe she'd stick around and actually run for the full six-year term, it was immediate and nearly universal. Frustration is probably the nicest way to put it."

That frustration has also been fueled by Lindsey Graham's hawkish foreign policy record. Mark Lynch, a Greenville businessman who finished second to Graham in the June primary, has now entered the Senate race, campaigning as a conservative outsider and America First candidate against what he describes as the establishment's "career politicians." (RELATED: Trump Defends, Praises Lindsey Graham As 2026 Primary Challenge Intensifies)

Republican South Carolina state Rep. Jay Kilmartin told the Caller that some grassroots Republicans remain frustrated with Graham's policies and governing style, raising questions about whether his sister would represent a break from his legacy.

"Every time Lindsey would win, we just didn't get it. It's all about his network, the money, and who supports him, including AIPAC and the military-industrial complex."

Kilmartin, a member of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus, said those concerns could carry over to Darline, given how little is known about how she would govern independently of her brother.

"She's probably going to do what her brother did and toe the line," he said.

Republican South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman was also among the first candidates to enter the race, announcing his Senate bid July 18, just days after Graham's death left the seat open. He formally filed his candidacy about a week later.

When the Caller requested a phone interview with Norman about his campaign, his spokesperson, Brittany Yanick, instead provided a statement saying the campaign is "feeling great" about its position and that Norman is "barnstorming" the state, "meeting with South Carolinians who are ready to elect a senator with a proven conservative record and who will fight for them in Washington."

Yanick added that the campaign believes momentum is building into Election Day and that voters are responding to Norman's message.

"With just a few days to go, the momentum is building because our message is resonating. His priorities are clear: pass the SAVE America Act, support President Trump's America First agenda, secure the border, and rein in Washington spending."

On Aug. 3, five candidates — Darline Graham, Russell Fry, Ralph Norman, former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Greenville businessman Mark Lynch — took the stage in Columbia for the first formal debate of the Senate race.

Fry, who has positioned himself as a conservative MAGA and America First candidate, focused on cost-of-living concerns he said are hurting South Carolinians and Americans nationwide. Darline Graham highlighted her conservative values and decades of public service, particularly her work in disability employment and rehabilitation in South Carolina.

Sanford has labeled himself the "fiscal conservative," centering his campaign on the national debt, calling it an existential threat and warning the country is approaching a "financial tipping point" in his campaign video launch. called for reducing spending and making government more efficient.

Pace also noted concerns among some pro-Norman voters ahead of Tuesday's special Republican primary that former Gov. Mark Sanford's entry into the race could pull support from the sitting congressman, saying he had "a lot of folks reach out" with those concerns.

The chairman, however, said he does not expect Sanford to draw significantly from Norman's support, telling the Caller, "I primarily think he's pulling votes from Graham and Fry here on the coast, because geography is a big deal within South Carolina."

In response to skepticism about Graham's ability to win following endorsements from the governor and President Trump, a source with her campaign pushed back on the premise, pointing to Norman's recent electoral performance.

"We kind of reject the premise," the source said, noting that Norman "just got done spending $7.5 million in his campaign for governor and finished what, 17, 18%. He's polling in the high teens right now, low twenties, after all of that, and he's been a sitting congressman since 2018." (RELATED: Senate Passes Lindsey Graham's Neocon-Backed Bill Targeting Russia)

Questions have also emerged about whether Darline Graham will be able to effectively communicate her political views to voters in the short window before the runoff, as well as whether she will make herself accessible to the media and take questions.

On Aug. 9, she participated in a campaign conference call and Q&A with South Carolina reporters, answering questions for roughly 10 minutes during a 16-minute call, according to a Post and Courier report.

During the call, she discussed her transition to the Senate, describing it as "drinking out of a fire hose," as well as her early work, including the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, affordability, criticism from primary opponents and her pledge to be a "fighter."

A source with the Darline Graham campaign pushed back on comparisons to her late brother's relationship with the press, noting that Lindsey Graham was known for his accessibility to reporters.

"It's a tough comparison, but you're not gonna see Ralph Norman sprinting to a press gaggle," the source said.

The Caller reached out to Fry's campaign for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.


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