South Carolina awaits major change after Graham's death

South Carolina awaits a major change in its representation after the death of Lindsey Graham, a powerful senator known for his zealous advocacy of military intervention, as every Republican candidate promises to bring a more domestic focus to the job.

His death triggered a competitive special GOP primary to be held Tuesday. The winner will advance to the November election against Democrat Annie Andrews in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat for U.S. Senate since 1998.

Leading most polls is Graham’s younger sister, newly minted Sen. Darline Graham, 62. She had never held public office before Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, appointed her at President Trump’s urging.

She has inherited many of her brother’s political assets — his Senate and campaign staff, the support of his Super PAC and the president’s endorsement — but she has made clear she has different priorities.

“Lindsey was probably much more focused on national security, and I know that’s important, but I will probably be focused more on affordability,” she recently told Fox News.

She has also advocated overriding the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold, breaking from her brother’s stance.

Ms. Graham faces a fight for the nomination and could be forced into a runoff even if she does not get over 50% of the vote.

Mark Lynch, a businessman who won almost 29% of the vote in a primary challenge against Lindsey Graham in June, is running again and says he would be radically different than the late lawmaker.

“I break from Graham’s interventionist record and endless spending by prioritizing America First, cracking down on foreign aid, slashing government waste, focusing hard on the rule of law and affordability for South Carolinians,” Mr. Lynch told The Washington Times in a statement.

South Carolina state Rep. Jordan Pace said many South Carolina Republicans have long wanted a change from Graham.

“At least since 2014 there’s been a sizable 20 to 30% of the electorate that was desperate to get anybody but him,” said Mr. Pace, who supports Rep. Ralph Norman’s bid.

In the initial 2026 GOP primary on June 9, Lindsey Graham won handily, but more than 43% of voters chose one of several challengers.

CJ Westfall, who chairs the Dorchester County Republican Party, said voters valued Lindsey Graham’s charming personality and his “ability to bring home the bacon,” “help with local projects” and make the state “punch above its weight” with his influence in the Senate.

“What they didn’t like was a lot of times he would side with liberals,” on immigration, Supreme Court nominees and spending, said Mr. Westfall, who is not backing a candidate in the special primary.

Also running is Rep. Russell Fry, 41, who won his seat in Congress in 2022 with Mr. Trump’s backing against a congressman who voted to impeach him.

Mr. Fry also said he would not have Lindsey Graham’s level of focus on foreign policy.

”Domestic policy is really where I want to have a stamp,” he said in an Aug. 3 debate, the only debate for the special primary. Mr. Fry listed energy production and lowering the cost of living as his priorities.

A pro-Graham Super PAC is attacking Mr. Fry in an attempt to consolidate Trump-loyalist voters.

“Career politician Russell Fry — rejected by President Trump. Fry selfishly put himself before President Trump and the MAGA movement,” says one ad.

Two other candidates bring a high level of name recognition: Rep. Ralph Norman, 73, and Mark Sanford, 66, who served in the U.S. House and as governor. 

Both have made tackling the $39 trillion national debt the focus of their campaigns.

“Foreign policy’s important, but we’ve got America to look after,” Mr. Norman said in the debate. “The debt in our country is not sustainable. We can’t have endless wars.”

Mr. Sanford told The Times his focus is “financial sanity,” citing his record as a fiscally hawkish governor and congressman.

“What is unique is the way in which we were able to hold the line on government spending over my eight years as governor,” he said, recalling his fights with the state Legislature in the early 2000s. 

Mr. Sanford has positioned himself as the most independent of Mr. Trump in the race, mentioning how he was willing to oppose the White House push to drill for oil off the South Carolina coast.

The two feuded during Mr. Trump’s first term, and Mr. Sanford lost his 2018 U.S. House primary after the president backed a challenger.

“It’s a little bit of urban legend to say we never got along. No, we agreed on most things,” Mr. Sanford said. “You actually help the presidency if you have a diversity of different opinions.”

On the Iran war, Mr. Sanford said, “The Constitution is crystal clear that only Congress can authorize war … It’s been something very consistent with me whether [under] Clinton, Obama, Trump.”

In the debate, both Ms. Graham and Mr. Fry said it would be their job to serve Mr. Trump.

“I’m 100% behind him,” said Ms. Graham. Mr. Fry called the president “the coach” and promised to “not grandstand and not get in the way.”

Mr. Norman said “you can disagree with” the president, who “loves competing ideas,” and Mr. Lynch said that he is “not afraid to bring up a question or something I don’t think is right with anybody.”

South Carolina Republican voters have an independent streak. In June, Mr. Trump’s preferred candidate, Pamela Evette, lost in the gubernatorial primary.

“You can like the president and respect what he’s doing with policy and in D.C. and disagree with who he recommends,” Ms. Cromer told The Times.