Darline Graham and Ralph Norman Advance to South Carolina GOP Senate Runoff to Succeed Lindsey Graham

A special Republican Senate primary in South Carolina to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham advanced Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman to a runoff after no candidate topped 50% of the vote, with the Associated Press cited by Fox News.

“With no candidate topping 50% of the vote, Graham and Norman will face off in the runoff in two weeks.”

Fox News

Fox News said the runoff will be held in two weeks, while The New York Times reported there will be a runoff on Aug. 25 if no candidate wins a majority of votes.

ABC News

The New York Times also said the race was called by The Associated Press and that Darline Graham and Ralph Norman advanced to a runoff.

WIS News 10, citing The Associated Press, said both candidates advanced to an Aug. 25 runoff after no one in the field gained at least 50% of the vote.

NBC News framed the same South Carolina outcome as Darline Graham advancing to a Senate primary runoff while other primaries played out in Wisconsin and Connecticut.

Fox News described the contest as a test of President Donald Trump's grip over the GOP, saying the president backed Graham, the late senator's younger sister.

At her primary night event, Fox News quoted Darline Graham saying, "I want to thank President Trump, his steadfast support and his complete and total endorsement means so much to me."

CBS News

The Guardian reported that Frank Tiller, the chair of the Spartanburg county Republican party, said Trump's endorsement was "very important, but a lot of people are saying Donald Trump does not know South Carolina politics."

MS NOW said Graham leaned heavily into her ties to Trump and quoted Trump from a Monday telerally: "She fully supports the Trump agenda and helps us achieve our mission of making America great again."

CBS News projected that Darline Graham and Ralph Norman will advance to a runoff later this month in the South Carolina special Republican primary for Senate, aiming to replace Lindsey Graham on the ticket in November.

“The runoff will be held on Aug. 25.”

CBS News

CBS News said the runoff will be held on Aug. 25 if no candidate clears 50% of the vote, and that the top two vote-getters in Tuesday's special primary would advance.

WIS News 10 said the winner of the runoff will go on to face Democratic candidate Dr. Annie Andrews in November's general election.

Fox News said the nomination showdown is the latest test of Trump's grip over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican primaries, with the winner of the Senate runoff expected to be a clear front runner in the midterms against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews.

The Guardian said the compressed timeline followed Lindsey Graham's death on 11 July and that the winner will face Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee and a pediatrician, in the November general election.