There’s a power struggle brewing in South Carolina, and Trump might not win
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Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) arrives for a vote at the U.S. Capitol on July 20, 2026. | Francis Chung/POLITICO
The race to fill Lindsey Graham ’s seat has created a new test of President Donald Trump ’s power. South Carolina Republicans aren’t sure Trump will pass.
Sen. Darline Graham , who was appointed last week to fill the remainder of her late brother’s term, announced Monday she will seek a full term for her brother’s old seat. Her decision came after winning Trump ’s backing, and his endorsement of the political newcomer had the potential to scare away challengers.
But other Republicans are still charging forward, seeing an opening in a race with a highly untested candidate. Their determination is a signal that challenging a Trump-backed candidate may no longer be the career-ender it once was within the party.
“Even folks that didn’t like Senator [Lindsey] Graham or didn’t vote for him in the primary were pretty happy about the appointment, as a tribute to Senator Graham ,” said CJ Westfall , chair of the Dorchester County GOP. “But once we saw the president jump in and support her, 95 percent are saying, ‘What the hell are we doing here? We don’t know how she votes. We don’t know what she believes.’”
“People that were excited about the appointment are now skeptical of the endorsement,” Westfall said.
Rep. Russell Fry , one of Trump’s most loyal congressional allies, announced earlier Monday he was jumping in. He joins Rep. Ralph Norman , who declared his own candidacy over the weekend , along with self-funding businessman Mark Lynch , who lost to the former senator in the primary. A number of other Republicans are mulling runs as well, including former Gov. Mark Sanford and Lt. Gov Pam Evette , who lost her own bid for governor a few weeks ago in spite of Trump ’s endorsement.
While Trump ’s endorsees have largely won their primaries, Evette ’s recent loss isn’t his only setback. His picks lost in the Iowa and Georgia gubernatorial races.
“I think people saw [ Trump ’s] endorsement of Pam Evette and her terrible performance and know this race could be up for grabs like the gubernatorial was,” said a Republican operative unaffiliated with race who was granted anonymity to candidly discuss the landscape.
While Graham ’s candidacy will test the power of Trump’s direct endorsement, there’s no question the MAGA movement is still the dominant force in South Carolina politics: All Republicans in the race are running as unapologetic supporters of the president, competing among themselves to prove who is the most authentic champion of Trump ’s agenda — a dynamic that has defined GOP primaries across the country this year.
Norman told reporters on Monday that Trump ’s endorsement “helps a great deal.” “That’s why I ask[ed] him for it,” he added. “I’d rather have it, but it’s up to the people.”
In Fry’s launch video , he presented himself as a Trump-aligned “MAGA warrior” — and included pictures of him grinning alongside the president.
In a statement, Fry campaign spokesperson Luke Byars noted Fry has “been honored to receive President Trump ’s endorsement” in his previous elections.
“Our focus for the next three weeks remains ensuring South Carolina has a conservative fighter in the United States Senate who will advance the President’s agenda and deliver real results for South Carolina families,” Byars said.
Some Republicans said Graham ’s lack of prior elected experience and the original expectation that she would only serve the remainder of her brother’s term have kept the field open.
“There is a desire to avoid yet another bruising Republican primary, right after we had a pretty contentious one for governor,” said Joel Sawyer , a longtime GOP strategist in South Carolina who’s not involved in the race. “But I don’t think that’s going to be the case.”
Trump ’s endorsement of Graham gives her instant credibility despite her lack of electoral experience. But her campaign announcement on Monday was met with surprise and confusion by many across the state.
Most saw her appointment as a respectful gesture to the Graham family, and she was expected to be a caretaker who would hold the seat until the end of her brother’s term in January. Her interest in running…
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