JULY 21, 2026

Sen. Darline Graham announces run for full Senate term after Trump endorsement, drawing a crowded Republican primary field

Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC), appointed last week by Gov. Henry McMaster to fill the seat of her late brother Lindsey Graham, announced Monday she will seek a full six-year Senate term. She made the announcement in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, saying "I'm in," after President Trump encouraged her to run on Friday. Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman have also declared their candidacies, while Rep. Nancy Mace announced Monday she would not enter the race.

Darline Graham, 62, previously led the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor before being appointed to the Senate following her brother's death on July 11. She told Hannity she felt "an inner peace" about running despite acknowledging "a tremendous amount of pressure" to step into the role. "I just can't let that die," she said of her brother's legacy. "I've got to step in and carry on his legacy."

The August 11 Republican primary field includes Rep. Russell Fry, Rep. Ralph Norman, and businessman Mark Lynch. Fry described himself in a launch video as a "MAGA warrior," while Norman — who has received endorsements from Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rick Scott (R-FL) — said Trump's backing of Graham "helps a great deal" but added the race is "up to the people." Senate Majority Leader John Thune called Graham "a strong candidate" and "a very accomplished person in her own right" but said he would not endorse anyone. Filing opens Tuesday; if no candidate wins a majority, a runoff is scheduled for August 25.

Graham's eligibility to compete is also under scrutiny. A South Carolina GOP rule requires candidates to have voted in at least two of the past three statewide GOP primaries. According to Politico, citing local outlet FITSNews, Graham voted in the 2024 GOP runoff but not the 2022 or 2024 GOP primaries; the Dorchester County Republican Party formally requested the state party rules committee review her eligibility. A campaign spokesperson said Graham meets the requirement and is "qualified to run."