South Carolina Republican voters participated in a runoff election Tuesday to select a nominee for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The race featured appointed Sen. Darline Graham, the sister of the late senator, and Rep. Ralph Norman, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017.
The special election was necessitated by the death of Lindsey Graham in July, shortly after he had won the Republican primary for a fifth term. Following his death, Darline Graham was appointed to fill the seat until early next year. She and Norman advanced to the runoff after finishing as the top two candidates in an August 11 special primary.
During the campaign, Darline Graham, a former commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind with no prior elected experience, focused on domestic issues like health care costs. At a debate last week, she stated she was "not that informed on national security," prompting criticism from former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Norman, a real estate developer and member of the House Freedom Caucus, emphasized his legislative experience and characterized Graham as an "unknown candidate."
The contest featured a divide in high-profile endorsements. Former President Donald Trump supported Darline Graham, holding a tele-rally for her on Monday and campaigning in the state. The Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. spent $827,000 on her behalf for phone calls and text messages. Conversely, Norman received the backing of Haley, who previously challenged Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
The financial scale of the race highlights its perceived importance to national figures. The $827,000 expenditure by MAGA Inc. represents a significant increase in spending for the group, which had previously spent only $18,000 on 2026 midterm races despite having $401 million in funds at the end of the second quarter. This spending translates to nearly $1 per Republican primary voter if turnout mirrors previous cycles, illustrating the intensity of the effort to secure the seat for a Trump-endorsed candidate.
The results will also serve as a measure of political influence between competing factions of the Republican party. A victory for Graham would reinforce the effectiveness of Trump’s endorsement and the impact of his super PAC’s spending. A victory for Norman would demonstrate the resilience of established local legislators and the influence of figures like Haley within the state. Once the runoff results are certified, the winner will immediately begin the general election campaign against Andrews ahead of the November vote.