South Carolina’s Republican Party has disqualified three candidates from the special primary election to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, setting off a legal battle just days before the Aug. 11 vote.
The state party committee voted not to certify an upstate farmer, a social media influencer, and a Charlotte-based business owner, ruling they failed to meet the party’s requirements for ballot access. The disqualifications reduce the field of Republican contenders from 15 to 12, though legal challenges are already underway from the removed candidates.
Graham, a four-term Republican senator and former presidential candidate, died in July while serving out the final months of his current term. South Carolina law required a special primary to be held within 30 days to determine which Republican would appear on the November general election ballot alongside Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician who won her party’s primary earlier this year.
President Trump has endorsed Darline Graham, the senator’s sister, who was temporarily appointed to fill the seat through January. The special primary will narrow the field of remaining candidates, with the winner facing Andrews in a general election that could shape the balance of power in the Senate heading into the next Congress.
The disqualification controversy has added tension to an already crowded and unpredictable race. Former Governor Mark Sanford, who lost his congressional seat after a scandal and later made a comeback bid for the Senate, is among the 12 remaining candidates. State Representative Nancy Mace, another prominent name in the race, has been campaigning heavily across the state.
Early voting in South Carolina opened this week, and turnout is expected to be significant as voters weigh in on which Republican should carry the party’s banner in a state that has been a Republican stronghold for decades. The Aug. 11 primary will be followed by a runoff on Aug. 25 if no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote.
The special election is one of several Senate races being closely watched ahead of the November midterms, as both parties jockey for control of the upper chamber. The seat is considered safe for Republicans in the general election, but the competitive primary has drawn national attention and significant campaign spending from outside groups.
Legal experts say the disqualified candidates have a narrow window to challenge the party’s decision in court, with the state’s election deadlines making any remedy difficult once ballots have already been printed and distributed to early voting locations.
WBTV: SC GOP Boots Three Candidates From Special Primary, USA Today: 12 Republicans Run to Replace Lindsey Graham, Greenville Online: Sanford, Fry, Graham Among 12 Candidates
Author: USA Desk
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