The sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) at age 71 has created an unexpected Senate vacancy but will not immediately change the balance of power in the upper chamber.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) will appoint an interim senator to fill the seat through the end of this year. Graham had been seeking a fifth term this year and was favored to win over Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician.
The real drama will come in a special Republican primary to replace Graham on the ballot. A special candidate filing period will open up on July 21 and will remain open for one week. The primary will take place on August 11, with a runoff on August 25 if no candidate reaches 50 percent of the primary vote.
According to The Washington Post, possible candidates include Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (R), a McMaster ally who finished second in the GOP gubernatorial primary in June, and who may be appointed to the seat; businessman Mark Lynch, who challenged Graham in the June primary and took a respectable 29 percent of the vote to Graham’s 57 percent; and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who finished fifth in the GOP gubernatorial primary.
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) wrote on X on Sunday morning that he will not seek the seat and will continue his bid for re-election to the House.
