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Darline Graham Announces Run for Full South Carolina Senate Term
Senator Darline Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, was appointed interim U.S. senator for South Carolina after her brother’s death on July 11, 2026. On July 20 she announced she will seek a full six‑year term in the Republican special primary scheduled for August 11, 2026. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed her, stating on Truth Social that he gave her his “complete and total endorsement” and urging her to run. The endorsement lifted her to the front‑runner position in prediction markets, with Kalshi and Polymarket showing odds around 78‑79 % of winning the primary. Other declared GOP candidates include Rep. Ralph Norman, Rep. Russell Fry, businessman Mark Lynch and attorney Duke Buckner; Rep. Nancy Mace has ruled out a bid. Governor Henry McMaster’s original appointment was intended as a placeholder, but he has not ruled out her candidacy. If elected, Graham would become the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.