South Carolina’s Republican primary race for U.S. Senate has advanced to a runoff between two candidates following Tuesday’s special primary election. Senator Darline Graham, who was appointed to fill the remainder of her late brother Lindsey Graham’s term, will compete against Congressman Ralph Norman in the August 25 runoff. Graham entered the primary with a narrow polling advantage, while Norman emerged from a competitive field that included fellow Congressman Russell Fry and former Governor Mark Sanford.
Norman, a real estate developer representing a Charlotte-area congressional district since 2017, has leveraged support from state legislators and an established campaign infrastructure. He has championed Trump-backed voting restrictions and immigration enforcement measures. Graham has emphasized her executive experience running a state agency and her accomplishments during her brief Senate tenure, including casting a decisive vote on an attorney general nomination and helping pass Russian sanctions legislation.
The candidates represent different conservative philosophies in the contentious primary race. Sanford focused his campaign on fiscal responsibility and federal debt concerns, while Fry criticized Graham’s positions on data centers and her appointment itself. The winner of the runoff will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in November’s general election.
Originally reported by Theguardian →
About the Author
