Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) advanced to a runoff election in the South Carolina Republican Senate primary on Tuesday [2].
The contest determines who will fill the seat of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. Because no candidate secured a majority in the initial special primary, South Carolina election law requires a runoff to decide the nominee [3].
The initial special primary took place on August 11, 2026 [2]. A total of 10 candidates competed in the primary to secure the GOP nomination [3]. Only two candidates advanced to the final stage of the process [4].
Sen. Darline Graham is the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. She and Rep. Norman will face each other in the runoff election scheduled for August 25, 2026 [1].
The runoff follows a crowded field where the vote was split among multiple contenders. Under state rules, a candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the vote to win the nomination outright, a threshold that remained unmet after Tuesday's tally [3].
The winner of the August 25 runoff will become the official Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate seat. This process ensures that the final party representative has the majority support of the primary electorate [1].
“No candidate secured a majority in the August 11 primary, triggering a runoff.”
The runoff highlights a divide within the South Carolina GOP between established family legacy, represented by Sen. Darline Graham, and the legislative experience of Rep. Ralph Norman. With the seat previously held by a high-profile national figure, the outcome will signal which wing of the party currently holds more sway over the state's Republican base.
