Nine Republican candidates for Lindsey Graham’s seat sharpened their pitch in Florence County days before South Carolina’s Aug. 11 Senate primary.
Nine Republican hopefuls in the South Carolina Senate primary used a Florence County event on Saturday to make one last push for voters before the Aug. 11 contest to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. With just days left before the special primary, the candidates used six-minute turns to argue over foreign policy, Senate procedure, border security, abortion, privacy and the growing cost of government.
The forum was hosted by Alan Wilson, South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial nominee, who framed the gathering like a rapid-fire round of introductions. Darline Graham, who was chosen to serve out her brother’s term after his death in July, closed out the program and told attendees she wanted to earn their support. She said she is not a politician, but a worker with a servant’s heart, and pointed to President Donald Trump’s endorsement while stressing that voters still had to be convinced.
Graham also defended herself against criticism that she is a “DEI” candidate, citing her work leading the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, a state agency with a $90 million budget and dozens of employees. She said the agency helps blind people and people with disabilities find work so they do not have to depend on government assistance. Graham aligned herself with Trump on transgender girls in female sports, support for Israel, the SAVE Act on voter ID and ending birthright citizenship. She also said socialism inside the Democratic Party must be stopped and called Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., crazy. On Flock cameras, which scan license plates, she said she sees both privacy concerns and possible emergency benefits and wants to look further into the issue.
Ralph Norman, a Republican congressman, took aim at the Senate itself, saying it is where good bills go to die. He argued for changing chamber rules to advance legislation such as the SAVE Act and said he would use whatever expertise he has to force votes, including by blowing up the filibuster or changing Senate procedures. After his remarks, Norman also questioned the spread of AI data centers, saying the federal government should not regulate them while adding that he sees them as harmful to communities and the environment.
“Nine Republican candidates for Lindsey Graham’s seat sharpened their pitch in Florence County days before South Carolina’s Aug. 11 Senate primary.”
Former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride broke with Trump’s position on the war with Iran and told voters the fighting should end immediately. He said the United States has lost the war and should come home and regroup. Sam Shepherd, an engineer, inventor and entrepreneur, made the opposite case, saying he is more conservative than Trump and emphasizing his experience with complex systems. He also said he has authored 44 patents, more than Elon Musk, and argued that common sense needs to return to government.
Rep. Russell Fry focused on affordability, blaming heavy regulation for problems facing farmers and families. He said government should get out of the way if lawmakers want to solve the cost crunch. Fry also tied border security to presidential leadership, praising Trump’s energy and attacking former President Joe Biden’s work ethic. He said he would work to close loopholes Biden used to grant asylum to Haitians and Nicaraguans.
Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford centered his remarks on the national debt, which he said is nearing $40 trillion. Sanford called the figure unsustainable and said Washington keeps spending money it does not have before printing more. He linked that fiscal strain to how long it now takes Americans to reach major milestones, including homeownership. Businessman Mark Lynch said his top issue is abortion and also backed efforts to eliminate the filibuster while rejecting donations from AIPAC. Danny Ford II, son of Clemson’s championship-winning former head coach, raised concerns about Flock cameras and data centers, saying rapid growth in both areas is getting out of control. Glenda Gail Parker, a retired Air Force budget analyst, broke with Trump on energy policy and called for less reliance on fossil fuels, arguing that climate extremes require more solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower.
The South Carolina race is drawing sharp contrasts because the winner will move into a Senate seat long associated with Graham’s influence and with the national Republican fight over war, immigration, spending and cultural issues. With the primary only days away, the Florence County forum showed voters a field that is trying to distinguish itself not just from Democrats, but from one another. For South Carolina Republicans, and for Americans watching how the party handles national security, government power and the cost of living, the Aug. 11 vote will be an early test of where the GOP wants to go next.
Frequently asked questions
When is the South Carolina Republican Senate primary?
The special Republican Senate primary is set for Aug. 11.
Who is running in the race to replace Lindsey Graham?
Nine Republican candidates took part in the Florence County forum, including Darline Graham, Ralph Norman, Mark McBride, Sam Shepherd, Russell Fry, Mark Sanford, Mark Lynch, Danny Ford II and Glenda Gail Parker.
What issues came up at the forum?
The candidates discussed the war with Iran, the filibuster, border security, abortion, the national debt, Flock cameras, data centers and energy policy.
How did Darline Graham present herself to voters?
She said she is not a politician, highlighted her work with the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, and noted President Trump’s endorsement while saying she still had to earn votes.
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