politics

Darline Graham and Ralph Norman Advance to Runoff in South Carolina GOP Senate Primary, CBS News Projects

Updated on: August 11, 2026 / 9:16 PM EDT / CBS News

Darline Graham and Ralph Norman Advance to Runoff in South Carolina GOP Senate Primary, CBS News Projects

TL;DR

  • Darline Graham and Ralph Norman will advance to a runoff in the South Carolina special Republican primary for Senate.
  • The runoff is scheduled for August 25th, as no candidate secured over 50% of the vote in the initial primary.
  • The special primary was held to find a replacement Republican candidate after the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham.
  • Darline Graham, the late senator's sister, was appointed to serve out his term and is now running for a full term.
  • Rep. Russell Fry, former Gov. Mark Sanford, and businessman Mark Lynch were also among the ten candidates in the primary.
  • Opponents have highlighted Darline Graham's lack of elected experience, while she has sought to balance her brother's legacy with a focus on domestic issues.
  • The seat is considered a safe Republican victory, as evidenced by Lindsey Graham's and President Trump's previous wins in the state.