South Carolina Rep. Russell Fry is the latest Republican congressman running to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, setting up a potential battle with President Donald Trump’s pick – the longtime senator’s sister, Darline Graham.
Fry entered the race Monday, two days after his colleague Rep. Ralph Norman kicked off his campaign. With filing for the Aug. 11 primary opening at noon on Tuesday, more contenders could join the field, including Rep. Nancy Mace, former Gov. Mark Sanford and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. Businessman Mark Lynch, who lost last month’s primary to the late senator, and attorney Duke Buckner, a former House hopeful, have also launched bids.
Following Graham’s unexpected death, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to fill the remainder of her brother’s term through early January. She has yet to say whether she’ll run for a full term, but on Friday, Trump announced he would back her if she did. She is set to appear Monday night on Fox News.
The race to select a GOP Senate nominee will unfold on a truncated timeline: Under South Carolina law, the special primary election to replace Lindsey Graham on the November ballot will be held on Aug. 11, with a runoff election between the top two finishers scheduled for Aug. 25 if no one receives a majority of the vote.
