Tim Scott says Darline Graham could be a contender for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat
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South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott floated the idea that Darline Graham, appointed to fill her late brother's Senate seat, might run for a full term, while the GOP field remains wide open.
South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott said Darline Graham, who was appointed to serve the remainder of her brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate term, could be a candidate for the seat in the upcoming special election. "Darline has so far been off to a remarkable start," Scott told CBS News, adding, "Why not her?"
Scott made the remarks at a press conference honoring the late senator, who died last weekend after serving in the Senate since 2003. He praised Graham’s "grace and grit" after Governor Henry McMaster named her interim replacement on Monday.
Graham has not indicated whether she intends to seek a full six-year term. In a recent news conference she said she will "work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother."
The special GOP primary, scheduled for next month, will allow candidates to file between July 21 and July 28. Several current and former members of the state’s congressional delegation have expressed interest, and former Rep. Trey Gowdy, former Rep. Russell Fry, and other Republicans are being discussed as possible contenders. President Donald Trump has not publicly endorsed any candidate, though sources say he has shown interest in backing Fry.
Other potential candidates include state Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who has received numerous calls urging her to run, and Representatives Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace, both of whom have floated the idea. Two House members, Joe Wilson and William Timmons, have ruled out a Senate bid, citing the need to protect the Republican majority in the House.
The seat was previously held by Lindsey Graham, who won re-election in 2020 by a ten-point margin.