USC political science professor talks possible candidates for U.S. Senate seat following Sen. Graham’s sudden passing

BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - South Carolina Republicans will soon begin the process of selecting a new U.S. Senate nominee following the sudden death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was seeking another term.

Candidate filing opens next week, with hopefuls able to enter the race July 21 through July 28.

The special Republican primary is Aug. 11, and early voting begins Aug. 5, one week before Election Day.

If no candidate wins outright, a runoff will be held Aug. 25.

In Beaufort County, polling places such as the Bluffton library will be among the locations open for voters.

Appointment made, but ballot still unclear

Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham Nordone, Graham’s sister, to serve the remainder of his term. Who will ultimately replace Graham on the ballot won’t be known until the filing window closes.

Kirk Randazzo, a political science professor at the University of South Carolina, said the accelerated calendar could shape who runs, and who has an advantage.

“For all of them, it is such a compressed timeframe,” Randazzo said. “This, which is normally a year-long process, is now going to be compressed into about 2.5 to 3 months.”

Possible candidates: familiar names with campaign infrastructure

Randazzo said the short runway could favor candidates who recently ran statewide or in federal races and still have campaign teams and leftover funds in place. He said potential contenders could include U.S. Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, as well as Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.

“I think from a financial standpoint they already have funds they can draw upon, which puts them at a potential advantage,” Randazzo said.

Randazzo also said Nordone is another possible candidate, though it remains unclear whether she would want to run for a full term.

“The question for her is whether she wants it or not? This may not be something she is interested in, but then again, what she said about carrying on her brother’s legacy might translate into running for a full term,” he said.

November matchup already set on Democratic side

The winner of the Republican special primary (and runoff, if needed) will advance to face Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews in November. Randazzo noted Andrews’ general election strategy could shift depending on who emerges from the Republican contest.

“She’s going to have to figure out, based on who wins that special election in August, what she then focuses on for the next two months,” Randazzo said.

Voters looking for information about polling locations, sample ballots, or updates on the candidate list can click here.