Republican candidates who would like to run for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by the late Lindsey Graham began to file for the race Tuesday. Any potential candidates will have until July 28 to determine if they would like to officially join the contest.
State law gives candidates a one-week period to file for a special election starting on the first Tuesday after the death of a nominee who had won their primary election. Graham had prevailed in the June 9 GOP primary race for the Senate seat with about 57% of the vote.
Now, candidates can begin to officially join the race and make their case to voters. The special election to find the GOP's Senate nominee is Aug. 11.
Gov. Henry McMaster appointed U.S. Sen. Darline Graham last week to finish out her brother's term in the Senate. That term ends Jan. 3, 2027. President Donald Trump said on social media last week that he would endorse Graham if she were to join the race. She announced in a Monday interview with Fox that she would run. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, Graham has not yet submitted the needed paperwork to file as a candidate.
Who has filed
Five candidates filed to run for the Republican nomination Tuesday.
Greenville businessman Mark Lynch received the second highest share of votes in the June 9 primary. Lynch is now again running for the seat.
Attorney Duke Buckner, who had previously run against U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn in the race for South Carolina's 6th Congressional District, too, joined the race. Buckner is a Walterboro native.
The pair are joined in the race by former Myrtle Beach mayor Mark McBride. McBride unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the U.S. House in 2022.
Lexington resident Samuel Shepherd, a bio-chemical and medical engineer, entered the race Tuesday
And the last candidate who filed Tuesday was Charlotte-based land surveyor Clark Neilson. Neilson filed as a candidate 3 p.m. Tuesday. He has not run for office before, but he said in a phone call with South Carolina Public Radio that it had long-been something he had thought about.
Potential candidates who wish to join the race have until July 28 to file.
In the race but not filed
Alongside Darline Graham, two other Republicans have openly said they will also run for the position but have not filed as candidates.
U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman said he'd enter the race. Norman represents South Carolina's 5th Congressional District and came in third in the June 9 GOP gubernatorial primary.
U.S. Rep. Russell Fry also said that he'd be joining the race. Fry represents the state's 7th Congressional District.
Fry is also running for reelection to his current seat. He is allowed to run for both under state law, but he can only accept one position if he were to win both. Another wave of special elections could be triggered depending on Fry's outcome in the races.
The GOP nominee would face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in November's General Election.
