Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has spent more than two decades winning Republican primaries in South Carolina without ever being forced into a runoff, but a sizable bloc of undecided voters could test that streak Tuesday in the state’s primary elections. A Citadel poll published last week found that 18% of likely Republican primary voters are undecided in the race for the GOP Senate nomination, leaving open the possibility that Graham could fall short of the majority needed to avoid a June 23 runoff against leading Republican challenger Mark Lynch. The Citadel poll put Graham with 46% of the Republican primary vote, Lynch with 36%, and 18% still undecided. A split GOP vote could force Graham into a second-round contest for the first time since taking office in 2002. Graham won his last primary in 2020 with over 67% of the vote, defeating three GOP challengers.
The four-term Republican entered the race as a clear favorite, armed with President Donald Trump’s endorsement, a massive fundraising advantage, and statewide name recognition built from his over 20 years in the Senate.
Yet the contest has unfolded against the backdrop of U.S. involvement in Iran, which Graham has backed, putting him at odds with some of the party’s isolationist wing.
