Darline Graham advances to South Carolina Republican Senate runoff
NBC News projected the appointed senator into an Aug. 25 runoff, with her opponent still undecided in early returns.
By Marcus V. Thorne · Markets Editor
· 2 min read
Sen. Darline Graham advanced to South Carolina’s Republican Senate runoff, NBC News projected on Aug. 11, placing the appointed incumbent in an Aug. 25 contest for the party’s nomination. With more than one-third of the expected vote counted, NBC News reported Graham at about 33%, while Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman were each at about 23%, leaving her eventual opponent unresolved.
The Darline Graham runoff follows a 10-candidate special primary held to select the Republican nominee for November’s election. The winner of the Aug. 25 contest is set to face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a doctor who won her party’s June primary, according to NBC News.
When is the South Carolina Republican Senate runoff?
The runoff is scheduled for Aug. 25. South Carolina’s rules require a candidate to win a majority in the special primary to avoid a second round; otherwise, the two leading candidates proceed to a one-on-one vote. NBC News had not identified Graham’s opponent when it projected her advancement.
The election concerns the Republican place on the November ballot for a full six-year Senate term. It is separate from Graham’s current service in the Senate: Republican Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her in July to complete the remaining portion of the term held by her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Lindsey Graham had won the Republican primary for renomination on June 9 before his death on July 11, according to PBS News. His death created both a vacancy in the Senate and a need for Republicans to choose a replacement nominee for the general election ballot.
President Donald Trump encouraged Darline Graham to run and endorsed her, NBC News reported. Her special-primary rivals included Fry, Norman and former Gov. Mark Sanford.
Early vote figures were not final results, and no official certification was included in the reporting available on election night. The runoff will determine which Republican advances to the Nov. 3 general election against Andrews.
This story draws on original reporting from CNBC.
