Three days after Sen. Lindsey Graham’s death, his sister, Darline Graham, was sworn in to complete the remainder of the South Carolina Republican’s term. With President Donald Trump’s encouragement, she quickly declared she’d seek a full six-year term.
Yet the limited polling available suggests Tuesday’s snap special election primary to replace Lindsey Graham on the November ballot remains fluid. The race features several well-known Republicans, including Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman and former Gov. Mark Sanford, who also served in the House.
The 10-candidate field also includes businessman Mark Lynch — an “America First” insurgent in the mold of Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie — who finished second to Lindsey Graham in the regular June primary. The number of contenders makes a runoff — scheduled for Aug. 25 – more likely since it will be harder for any candidate to clear 50 percent of the vote Tuesday.
One Republican strategist said Graham, Norman and Fry enjoy an advantage because they each have an existing political apparatus to lean on.
Norman is just coming off a competitive race for governor, in which he finished third in the June Republican primary. Fry is running for reelection to the House while also seeking the Senate seat. Graham inherited her brother’s federal leadership PAC, his Senate committee assignments and some of his staff. The National Republican Senatorial Committee is running ads on her behalf.
