Election 2026: Field increases in U.S. Senate special Republican primary

(The Center Square) – Led by U.S. Sen. Darline Graham, and U.S. Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, the field swelled on Friday in South Carolina’s U.S. Senate special Republican primary.

Each along with Darius Mitchell added their names to the candidate list, according to the South Carolina Elections Commission website. On Tuesday’s first day, Duke Buckner, Mark Lynch, Mark McBride, Clark Neilson and Samuel Shepherd all filed.

Fry is already ticketed for the Nov. 3 ballot in a reelection bid for the 7th Congressional District. Norman, finishing his fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, was unsuccessful running for governor in the June primary. Mitchell was sixth of six candidates in the June primary for this Senate seat.

Sen. Lindsey Graham died July 11, two days after his 71st birthday. He won the primary in his bid for a fifth term. The special election process follows state law. The f...