Incumbent Darline Graham (R) and Ralph Norman (R) are running in a special Republican Party primary runoff on August 25, 2026, in South Carolina to determine which candidate will be the Republican nominee in the state's general election on November 3, 2026. In the primary, Graham received 33% of the vote to Norman's 24%.
The special primary became necessary after incumbent Lindsey Graham (R), the Republican nominee selected at the June 9 primary, died on July 11, 2026.
This is the first runoff for a U.S. Senate election in the state since 2004. Since 1956, only two people — Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — had been elected to this Senate seat. President Donald Trump (R) won the state in 2024 with 58% of the vote. Graham won re-election in 2020 with 54% of the vote. Republicans have won the state in every presidential election since 1980, every Senate election since 2004, and every gubernatorial election since 2002.
