South Carolina GOP Senate Runoff: Darline Graham and Ralph Norman Face Off
South Carolina Republicans head to the polls on August 25 for a special primary runoff to select their nominee to replace the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on the fall general election ballot, following an electoral timeline dictated by Graham’s unexpected death in July, according to the Associated Press.
The Path to the Special Primary Runoff
Voters across South Carolina are returning to cast ballots for the fourth time since June. Lindsey Graham initially won the June 9 Republican primary for renomination to the Senate seat he first won in 2002. His death on July 11 from an aortic tear left a vacancy for both his current term and the upcoming six-year term election, according to Associated Press reports.
To fill this vacancy on the November ballot, a special primary was held on August 11. U.S. Sen. Darline Graham—appointed to serve out the remainder of her late brother’s current term—placed first in that initial special primary with about 33% of the vote. U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman followed in second place with about 25% of the vote. Because Darline Graham did not secure the vote majority needed, the race advanced to a runoff against Norman.
U.S. Rep. Russell Fry finished third in the August 11 primary with approximately 20% of the vote. Following his elimination, Fry endorsed Darline Graham for the runoff. Darline Graham also secured key endorsements from U.S. Sen. Tim Scott and President Donald Trump, who held a campaign rally for her in Myrtle Beach, according to AP reporting.
Regional Voter Dynamics and Demographics
Geographic strongholds defined the first round of the special primary and continue to shape expectations for the runoff vote. Darline Graham swept central South Carolina, the Columbia area, and the Lowcountry region near Charleston, scoring her highest percentages in counties along the Georgia border. Meanwhile, Ralph Norman drew his strongest support from the Piedmont and Upstate regions, including Greenville County.
Greenville County is the most populous county in South Carolina and typically contributes the most votes in statewide Republican primaries. In past cycles, Greenville County has bucked against the front-runners, having carried Norman in the gubernatorial primary and standing as one of the only counties Lindsey Graham lost during his final election. Democratic-leaning Richland and Charleston counties hold the next-largest populations, while Horry, Lexington, and Spartanburg counties also maintain significant influence over Republican primary outcomes.
Voter Eligibility and Election Logistics
The Associated Press reports that about 3.4 million voters were registered in South Carolina as of Friday. South Carolina does not require voters to register by political party.
Participation rules for the runoff are strictly bounded by prior primary participation. Voters who cast ballots in the Democratic primary on June 9 are barred from voting in the August 25 Republican primary runoff. Eligible voters include Republican primary voters and any registered voter who sat out all party primaries on June 9.
Turnout figures have shifted across the primary iterations. Approximately 465,000 voters participated in the June 9 Republican primary when Lindsey Graham was originally renominated. Turnout dipped to roughly 336,000 voters for the August 11 special primary.
The General Election Matchup Ahead
Polls for the runoff close at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, August 25. The Associated Press will tabulate live vote results and declare a winner once mathematical thresholds are met.
The victor of Tuesday’s Republican runoff will advance to face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the November general election. Andrews, a Charleston pediatrician, previously mounted a congressional challenge in the 1st Congressional District in 2022. Lindsey Graham secured his final reelection victory in 2020 with 54% of the vote, while President Trump carried the state with 58% of the vote in 2024, according to AP records.
As campaigns finalize their get-out-the-vote efforts across the state’s diverse regions, the outcome on Tuesday will lock in the Republican choice for a crucial Senate seat, shaping the state’s legislative representation for the remainder of the decade.