South Carolina is facing a critical election as the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden passing is up for grabs. The GOP currently holds a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, making every seat count.

Special Election Called

A special election has been called to fill the vacant Senate seat, with the winner expected to secure a full six-year term. Several candidates have expressed interest in running, including fifth district congressman Ralph Norman, Upstate businessman Mark Lynch, congresswoman Nancy Mace, lieutenant governor Pamela Evette, and former governor Mark Sanford.

However, the White House has been pushing coastal congressman Russell Fry to enter the race. This move was met with resistance from S.C. fourth district congressman William Timmons, who recently announced that he will not seek to replace Senator Graham on the ballot. Timmons cited the potential risk of leaving his House seat vacant and the importance of protecting the Republican majority.

According to Timmons, President Donald Trump will be the deciding factor in the upcoming special primary. The filing period for the special U.S. Senate primary is set to open on July 21, 2026, and close on July 28, 2026. If no candidate receives a majority of votes on August 11, a special head-to-head runoff election will be held on August 25, 2026.

Original reporting: FITSNews — read the source article.