South Carolina U.S. senate runoff election will test Trump's endorsement

U.S. President Donald Trump stands with Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) (C) and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) during a campaign rally for Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) on August 21, 2026 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. President Trump traveled to South Carolina to join Republican Senate candidate Darline Graham for a campaign rally ahead of Tuesday's runoff election against Ralph Norman. Win McNamee/Getty Images/Getty Images North America hide caption

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Republican voters are returning to the polls Tuesday to decide who will replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on the general election ballot in November.

After no candidate in a crowded field won outright in a Republican special primary earlier this month, the state is holding a runoff between Graham's sister, Sen. Darline Graham, and Congressman Ralph Norman.

The outcome of Tuesday's race will test President Trump's influence in the state.

The past month and a half has been a scramble to replace the state's senior U.S. Senator who had just secured the nomination in the June primary for his fifth U.S. Senate term before dying from a heart condition on July 11.

South Carolina's GOP Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve out the remainder of her brother's term following his death. She came in first place following a special election on Aug. 11 to replace him on the November ballot to run for a full term.

But Graham failed to secure the amount of votes needed to avoid a runoff election.

The race is shaping up to be one of Trump's biggest bets of the midterm primary cycle. Trump encouraged Graham to run, endorsed her, and held a rally for her in South Carolina ahead of the runoff election.