Trump Pushes Crony Rep. Russell Fry for South Carolina Senate Seat
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President Donald Trump is once again meddling in South Carolina politics, signaling support for Rep. Russell Fry—a loyalist who has championed Trump's regressive agenda—to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. Meanwhile, the governor has appointed Graham's sister to the interim seat, continuing the tradition of political nepotism.
President Donald Trump has made clear his preference for Rep. Russell Fry, a hardline Republican who has consistently backed Trump's reactionary policies, as the leading contender in the special election on August 11 to fill the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's Senate seat in South Carolina. In an interview with Newsmax, Trump lavished praise on Fry, calling him 'a very, very talented person,' and hinted that Fry could easily win the race, further cementing Trump's grip on the Republican Party.
Fry, notorious for ousting former Rep. Tom Rice in the 2022 Republican primary after Rice dared to break with Trump, is reportedly in talks with the White House about a Senate run, according to Politico. Neither the White House nor Fry responded to requests for comment, raising questions about transparency and backroom deals.
In a move emblematic of the GOP's nepotistic tendencies, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham's sister, to serve the remainder of the term. Trump noted that her service would be only interim, but the appointment underscores how political power remains concentrated within elite families.
Other potential Republican candidates include Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, both of whom have previously vied for higher office and are now seeking Trump's blessing. The scramble for Trump's endorsement highlights the party's continued subservience to his toxic brand of politics, as Attorney General Alan Wilson remains the only one to have successfully secured the GOP nomination for governor.