South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman enters race for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat
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Rep. Ralph Norman announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the late Lindsey Graham, positioning himself as a Trump-aligned conservative.
Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina said on Saturday he will run for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by the late Lindsey Graham. In a news release he said President Donald Trump needs another "America First" conservative in the Senate to advance the president's priorities.
During an interview with Fox News, Norman said he would focus on advancing Trump’s legislative agenda, beginning with the SAVE America Act, a proposal to overhaul U.S. elections. He also said he intends to support eliminating the Senate filibuster, a change favored by Trump that could allow Republicans to pass legislation without Democratic votes if they retain control after the upcoming election.
Graham died last week from a tear in his artery. Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham’s younger sister, Darline Graham, to serve the remainder of the term, which ends in January. A special primary election is scheduled for next month to choose the Republican nominee for the November general election.
President Trump urged Darline Graham to run in the special primary and pledged his endorsement, though she has not confirmed a candidacy. Norman said he had sought Trump’s endorsement but will continue his campaign regardless of the president’s support for Graham.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Utah Sen. Mike Lee endorsed Norman before his announcement. Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, previously ran for South Carolina’s governor’s race, finishing third in the primary. He has been a vocal supporter of Trump but has sometimes clashed with GOP leaders over fiscal issues and did not back Trump in the 2024 presidential primary, initially supporting Nikki Haley.
Businessman Mark Lynch, who challenged Graham in the earlier Republican primary, is the only other confirmed candidate. Potential contenders mentioned include Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Nancy Mace, and Rep. Russell Fry, who hinted at a decision pending. The filing period for the GOP special primary runs from July 21 to July 28.