Rep. Russell Frey attends the House Republican Conference caucus meeting at the Capitol Hill Club on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Washington.
Bill Clark | Cq-roll Call Inc. | Getty Images
South Carolina Representative Russell Frey is the latest Republican from the state to step forward to fill the late Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat, with Graham’s sister Darling considering a run and other candidates vying to win a six-year term.
In a statement posted Monday to Darin Graham was appointed last week to fill the role on an interim basis until the end of the year and received the endorsement of President Donald Trump on Friday, although he has not indicated whether he will seek his party’s nomination.
Applications for the special primary will officially open at noon ET on Tuesday. The winner of that primary will face Democrat Annie Andrews in this November’s general election, a race dubbed “Solid R. Bush” by Cook Political Report with Amy Walter.
“South Carolina, I’m in! I’m running for the U.S. Senate. Too many families in South Carolina are struggling to make ends meet. Rising gas prices and rising food prices are hurting hardworking people,” Frye said in the post.
“We need conservative fighters who will deliver real results in the Senate. I will be the conservative MAGA candidate in this summer’s special Senate primary election. I am ready to fight and fully committed,” the post continued.
Lindsey Graham, 71, died July 11 of an aortic dissection caused by atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to preliminary findings from the District of Columbia Medical Examiner’s Office.
Frey is an ally of President Trump and has been representing South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District in the northeastern part of the state since 2023. Norman, a conservative member of the House Freedom Caucus who ran unsuccessfully for South Carolina governor in the Republican primary earlier this year, announced plans to run for Senate over the weekend.
“I’m running to represent the people of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate because we need warriors who will stand with President Trump and carry on Lindsey Graham’s legacy! I’ve fought for the Palmetto State in the statehouse and in Congress for years, and now I’m running to represent the people of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate. We want to pass the Act!,” Norman wrote, referring to the controversial pro-Trump election bill that imposes strict photo ID requirements and requires proof of citizenship for voter registration.
Since 2017, Norman has represented South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District in north-central South Carolina.
A victory for either Mr. Frey or Mr. Norman in the Senate nomination race could complicate the Republican Party’s thin House majority.
Mark Lynch, a South Carolina businessman who came in second against Lindsey Graham in June’s South Carolina Republican primary, announced his candidacy on July 13. Duke Buckner, who made two unsuccessful bids to unseat Democratic Rep. James Clyburn in South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District in 2022 and 2024, also announced his candidacy.
Graham, who was sworn in last Tuesday, has not officially said whether he intends to seek the seat for a six-year term. In an open letter to voters released last weekend, she thanked voters for their outpouring of support.
“Lindsay dedicated his life to serving South Carolina and defending our country. He accomplished so much, but still had so many big ideas that he was determined to see through,” Graham wrote. “Just as he stood up for me when my parents died, it’s time for me to stand up for South Carolina. I’ve learned that in the most difficult times, God often calls ordinary people to extraordinary deeds.”
And President Trump encouraged Graham to seek the nomination in a post on TruthSocial, calling her “a great person and a true American patriot.”
“There is no better person to honor the legacy of my beloved brother, Lindsey. Darling, who comes from a truly wonderful family, has been a winner all her life, and if she accepts, I am offering my full support in the South Carolina Senate special election. She will never let you down. Run, darling, run!” Trump wrote.
