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Trump Endorses Graham for Senate, Scrambling South Carolina Primary
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- President Trump urged Senator Darline Graham, recently appointed to fill her late brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat, to run in the upcoming special Republican primary for South Carolina’s Senate seat.
- Trump’s endorsement of Darline Graham, who had been viewed as a caretaker without prior elective office experience, significantly reshapes the GOP primary by giving her incumbency and name recognition advantages.
- Several prominent Republicans, including Representatives Russell Fry, Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman, and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, had been considering runs, but Trump’s backing may clear the field for Ms. Graham.
- The special primary is scheduled for August 11, 2026, with the filing deadline on July 28, and the winner is favored to win the general election in the conservative state.
- Ms. Graham’s appointment lasts through January 3, 2027, which would complete the remainder of her brother’s term following his sudden death.
