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South Carolina Republicans Vote in Special Primary for Senate Seat

Politics28 sourcesAug 11, 2026
FlatRigor 5128 sources

The Story

South Carolina Republicans are casting ballots in a special primary election Tuesday to determine the party's nominee for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. Ten Republicans are competing in the race. Sen. Darline Graham, appointed to fill her brother's remaining term, has secured an endorsement from President Donald Trump. She leads in the final poll released ahead of the election, with 26.4 percent support, according to The Trafalgar Group. Representative Ralph Norman follows with 19.5 percent, Representative Russell Fry with 18.4 percent, and former Governor Mark Sanford with 18.3 percent. Business owner Mark Lynch is polling at 7.5 percent, with 5.4 percent of respondents undecided. The poll surveyed 1,027 respondents between August 8 and 10 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. If no candidate secures a majority, a runoff election is scheduled for August 25. The winner will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the general election. Separately, on August 10, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presided over the renaming of Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina to Joint Base Lindsey Graham, honoring the late senator's defense advocacy.

The Spread

What they agree on

  • South Carolina Republicans are holding a special primary election to select a nominee for the U.S. Senate seat previously held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
  • Sen. Darline Graham, sister of the late senator, was appointed to serve out the remainder of his term.
  • President Donald Trump has endorsed Darline Graham.
  • The special primary election is taking place on August 11, 2026.
  • Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina was renamed Joint Base Lindsey Graham on August 10, 2026.

Where they split

  • Some outlets, such as PBS NewsHour and CBS News, focus on the live results and the candidates in the special primary election.
  • Other outlets, including Newsweek, provide detailed polling data and analysis of the candidates' chances.
  • A subset of coverage, including from The Epoch Times and Military Times, centers on the renaming of Joint Base Charleston and Defense Secretary Hegseth's involvement.
  • The Washington Post frames the race as having "no clear Trump-aligned candidate," while other outlets emphasize Trump's endorsement of Darline Graham.

Source Perspectives

Left1 source
Center26 sources
Right1 source