(The Center Square) – Five candidates, including primary runner-up Mark Lynch, filed on the first day in the special election primary to succeed the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on South Carolina’s ballot.
Filing continues through Tuesday of next week. Also filing were Duke Buckner, Mark McBride, Clark Neilson and Samuel Shepherd.
Graham died July 11. The special election primary will generate the Republicans’ ticket for Nov. 3.
Sen. Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s brother, was chosen by the governor to succeed him through the end of the term. She’s also the endorsed candidate for the next six years by second-term Republican President Donald Trump.
Graham did not file on Tuesday. She’s indicated she will. Others being watched are in the U.S. House of Representatives – Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman. Rep. Nancy Mace said she will not run.
Norman and Mace were unsuccessful in primary bids for the governor’s office. Fry did win his reelection primary for the 7th Congressional District. He could, for the next few weeks until this primary is settled, run two campaigns.
