{"id":40183,"date":"2026-08-12T06:05:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T01:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=40183"},"modified":"2026-08-12T06:05:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T01:05:11","slug":"south-carolina-senate-runoff-set-after-no-gop-candidate-clears-50","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=40183","title":{"rendered":"South Carolina Senate runoff set after no GOP candidate clears 50%"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Appointed Sen. Darline Graham has advanced to a runoff election in the special Republican Senate primary in South Carolina, the Associated Press reported, in the race to succeed the late Sen. <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1997641\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/lindsey-graham\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lindsey Graham<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">With no candidate topping 50% of the vote,<strong> <\/strong>Sen. Darline Graham will be joined by one other contender in the runoff in two weeks, in a primary field that included Rep. Ralph Norman, Rep. Russell Fry, former Gov. and former Rep. Mark Sanford. Tuesday&#8217;s primary was held one month to the day after the late longtime senator suddenly died at age 71.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The nomination showdown is the latest test of President <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1997642\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/person\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Donald Trump<\/a>&#8216;s immense grip over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican primaries, as the president backed Graham, who is the late senator&#8217;s younger sister. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster last month appointed Graham to fill the remainder of the current Senate term, which concludes at the end of the year.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1997643\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/republicans-defy-trump-jump-south-carolina-senate-race-despite-his-handpicked-successor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP, JUMP INTO SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE RACE DESPITE HIS HANDPICKED SUCCESSOR<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/343\/192\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/686\/384\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/672\/378\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1344\/756\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/931\/523\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1862\/1046\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/720\/405\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1440\/810\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1200\/675\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Darlene Graham speaks from a microphone.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Republican Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina, right, appointed Darline Graham, center, to fill the remainder of the term of her brother, the late GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham<\/span> <span>(AP Photo)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Graham, as she voted on Tuesday, said she&#8217;s running to help &#8220;President Trump get his agenda passed.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Norman, who unsuccessfully campaigned this year for the\u00a0GOP gubernatorial nomination\u00a0in the race to succeed term-limited <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1997644\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/us-regions\/southeast\/south-carolina\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">South Carolina<\/a> Gov. Henry McMaster,\u00a0and Fry, a two-term congressman, are both House allies of Trump and also showcased their support for the president in their Senate campaigns.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1997645\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/elections\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><u>DEMOCRACY \u201926: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/ralph-norman-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/ralph-norman-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/ralph-norman-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/ralph-norman-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/931\/523\/ralph-norman-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1862\/1046\/ralph-norman-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/720\/405\/ralph-norman-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1440\/810\/ralph-norman-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/ralph-norman-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Ralph Norman\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., speaks to reporters as he leaves a House Republican Conference meeting at the Cannon House Office Building on May 20, 2026 in Washington, D.C.<\/span> <span>(Kevin Dietsch\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Sanford, who briefly launched a long-shot and unsuccessful White House <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1997646\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/elections\/republicans\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GOP nomination<\/a> challenge against Trump in the 2020 presidential primaries, is known as a fiscally conservative budget hawk. Sanford pointed to the nation&#8217;s debt as a key motivator behind his decision to launch a Senate campaign.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1997647\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/newsletters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/russell-fry-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/russell-fry-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/russell-fry-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/russell-fry-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/931\/523\/russell-fry-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1862\/1046\/russell-fry-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/720\/405\/russell-fry-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1440\/810\/russell-fry-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/russell-fry-1.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Russell Fry\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., speaks during the GOP stump event held for Republican candidates for Senate in Charleston, S.C., on Aug. 6, 2026.<\/span> <span>(Bill Clark\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The large field of GOP contenders also included businessman Mark Lynch, who lost to Lindsey Graham by nearly 30 points in the June Republican Senate primary.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The Trump endorsement hasn&#8217;t proven to be a sure bet this cycle in solidly-red South Carolina.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1997648\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/four-months-midterms-12-races-determine-senate-majority\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>THE MIDTERM SENATE RACES THAT COULD FLIP THE BALANCE OF POWER IN CONGRESS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/343\/192\/mark-sanford.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/686\/384\/mark-sanford.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/672\/378\/mark-sanford.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1344\/756\/mark-sanford.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/931\/523\/mark-sanford.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1862\/1046\/mark-sanford.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/720\/405\/mark-sanford.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1440\/810\/mark-sanford.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1200\/675\/mark-sanford.png?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Mark Sanford\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Former Governor and Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., speaks during the GOP stump event held for Republican candidates for Senate in Charleston, S.C., on Aug. 6, 2026.<\/span> <span>(Bill Clark\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Trump backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for the GOP gubernatorial nomination \u2014 in the race to succeed the term-limited McMaster \u2014 ahead of the state&#8217;s early June primary.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><u>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Evette was the top vote-getter in the primary but lost the ensuing runoff election against South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in a landslide. And Trump, ever hungry for a victory, endorsed Wilson in addition to Evette days before the runoff.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The winner of the Senate runoff election in two weeks will be considered the clear front runner in the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_1997650\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/elections\/midterm-elections\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">midterms<\/a> against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a\u00a0pediatrician.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Paul Steinhauser covers the national campaign trail from coast to coast for Fox News\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Appointed Sen. Darline Graham has advanced to a runoff election in the special Republican Senate primary in South Carolina, the Associated Press reported, in the race to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. With no candidate topping 50% of the vote, Sen. Darline Graham will be joined&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":40184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/darlene-lindsay-graham-sc.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=40183"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40183\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/40184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=40183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=40183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=40183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}