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A southeast view of the South Carolina State House and the Strom Thurmond statue, Columbia
Photo: DXR | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Wikimedia Commons

Darline Graham, Ralph Norman Head To South Carolina GOP Senate Runoff

Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman advanced to a Republican runoff for South Carolina's U.S. Senate nomination on Tuesday; the GOP will hold the runoff on August 25, 2026.[1]

Graham is filling the seat left by her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and is serving through January. She ran in the primary with former President Donald Trump's endorsement.

Lindsey Graham died earlier this year, and state officials appointed his sister to the seat until a special election. The August 25 runoff will decide the Republican nominee for the November special election to finish the term.[1]

Rep. Ralph Norman is a sitting U.S. representative who now shifts focus to a statewide contest against Graham. Both campaigns are expected to intensify turnout efforts before the late-August head-to-head.

  1. New York Times
Elections 2026 U.S. Senate Races
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📌 Key Facts

  • On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman advanced to a GOP Senate runoff in South Carolina.
  • Graham is filling her late brother Lindsey Graham's seat through January and ran with President Trump's endorsement.
  • The Republican runoff is set for August 25, 2026, to choose the party nominee for the November special election.

📰 Source Timeline (1)

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August 12, 2026
7:50 AM
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Nytimes by Tim Balk, Julie Bosman and Bayliss Wagner