TL;DR by CuriousCats.ai
Republicans file for special primary election
- Republicans are lining up to run in a special primary to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who passed away on July 11.
- Candidates have had since July 21 to file for the Aug. 11 special primary election.
- Ten Republicans had officially filed as of Monday.
- Early voting for the special primary election will run from Aug. 5 through Aug. 7.
- If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two contenders will face off in a Aug. 25 runoff election.
Context on Lindsey Graham's passing
- The senator died unexpectedly from an aortic dissection on July 11, two days after his 71st birthday.
- South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) appointed Lindsey Graham's sister, Darline Graham, as the late senator's successor to serve out the remainder of his term.
CuriousCats Full Story
South Carolina Republicans are in a race against time to fill the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's seat, with the special primary election set for August 11. Following Graham's unexpected death from an aortic dissection on July 11, at age 71, the political landscape has shifted dramatically.16
Candidates have had since July 21 to file, and as of Monday, 12 Republicans have officially entered the race. Notable candidates include U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who recently lost a gubernatorial primary, and Rep. Russell Fry, who has garnered support from former President Trump. Other contenders include Duke Buckner, Mark Lynch, and Dr. Annie Andrews, who won her party's primary in June.2
If no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff will occur on August 25. The winner will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the November election. Darline Graham, Lindsey's sister, has been appointed to serve the remainder of his term until January, adding another layer of complexity to the race.5
The urgency of the situation reflects the compressed timeline for candidates, as they prepare for a two-week sprint leading up to the primary. The political stakes are high, with the potential to shape South Carolina's representation in the Senate for years to come.
Key Insight
“As of now, ten Republicans have officially filed to replace Lindsey Graham, with early voting scheduled from Aug. 5 to Aug. 7. If no candidate secures over 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election will take place on Aug. 25.”
CuriousCats studied:
1
Military Times
Military Times“The Pentagon is moving to rename a joint military base in South Carolina after Lindsey Graham, a Republican U.S. senator from the state who .”
Military Times →2
Yahoo
“The Pentagon is renaming Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina after Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away on July 11.”
Yahoo →3Yahoo
“South Carolina Republican Senate candidates have until midday Tuesday to file for the special primary election for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R) seat.”
Yahoo →4
Los Angeles Daily News
Los Angeles Daily News“the field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
Los Angeles Daily News →5
Boston Herald
Boston Herald“the field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
Boston Herald →6
PBS
“The field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on November ballots is nearly set, with at least 10 hopefuls filing their paperwork and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
PBS →7
The Northern Virginia Daily
“The field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
The Northern Virginia Daily →8
Mainline Media News
Mainline Media News“the field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
Mainline Media News →9
Reading Eagle
Reading Eagle“the field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
Reading Eagle →10
ABC Columbia
ABC Columbia“The field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on November ballots is nearly set, with at least 10 hopefuls filing their paperwork and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
ABC Columbia →11
pottsmerc.com
pottsmerc.com“the field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
pottsmerc.com →12
Daily Local
Daily Local“the field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
Daily Local →13
Navy Times
Navy Times“The Pentagon is moving to rename a joint military base in South Carolina after Lindsey Graham, a Republican U.S. senator from the state who .”
Navy Times →14
Delco Times
Delco Times“the field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
Delco Times →15
Capital Gazette
Capital Gazette“the field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
Capital Gazette →16
WFMZ.com
“The field of Republican candidates vying to replace the late Sen. on November ballots is set, with 12 hopefuls filing their paperwork by Tuesday and launching into a two-week sprint toward the Aug. 11 special GOP primary.”
WFMZ.com →17
People.com
“Quixote Club hosts the 95th South Carolina Amateur Golf Championship in Sumter, SC on July 26, 2026.”
People.com →Ask CuriousCats
Who are the candidates running to replace Graham?
What is the timeline for the special primary election?
Why is there a special election in South Carolina?
Are other states facing similar special elections?
How does voter turnout in this primary compare to previous years?
