Governor Henry McMaster now faces one of the highest-stakes political decisions of his career: who will fill the Senate seat left vacant by Lindsey Graham's death in office. The Republican governor has the authority to appoint a successor to serve the remainder of Graham's term, which runs through January 3rd, setting off a scramble among ambitious South Carolina politicians.
The appointee will inherit a significant advantage. Whoever McMaster names is likely to emerge as the frontrunner in a special primary scheduled for August 11th to determine the Republican nominee for the November general election. That compressed timeline rewards candidates with existing name recognition and party infrastructure.
Among those being discussed is Congressman Joe Wilson, who has represented South Carolina's second district since 2001 and is the longest-serving member of the state's Republican delegation to Washington. Wilson offered condolences on social media, calling Graham "an American Patriot."
Also in the mix: Congressman Ralph Norman, who finished third in the recent Republican gubernatorial primary, and Nancy Mace, the ultraconservative congresswoman who placed fifth in that same race. Mace released a statement praising Graham's decades of service, saying "no one ever questioned his love for South Carolina."
McMaster himself could theoretically appoint himself. The state constitution permits it, and his governorship doesn't end until January 2027. The traditional path would involve McMaster resigning and allowing Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette to ascend to the governorship while appointing him to the Senate seat. History, however, offers a stern warning: that approach has failed almost every time it's been attempted. A century of precedent shows voters have consistently rejected governors appointed to open Senate seats, including a notorious South Carolina case in 1966 when voters knocked out a governor appointed to fill a Senate vacancy.
Evette herself faces obstacles if McMaster appoints her instead. She lost a statewide race just three weeks ago, falling to Attorney General Alan Wilson in a gubernatorial primary runoff. That defeat would make it tough to mount a competitive campaign in the compressed primary schedule.
Graham had won renomination this year with 57 percent of the vote, despite facing five challengers from within his own party, more opposition than he'd encountered in any previous reelection. Mark Lynch, a Greenville businessman, finished second with 29 percent, campaigning against Graham's record on federal spending and immigration.
The winner of the August primary will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the November general election. South Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1998 and hasn't sent a Democrat to any statewide office in nearly two decades. Pre-election polling showed Graham ahead of Andrews by three to five points, though the state's substantial population growth and Democrats contesting legislative seats across the state for the first time in a generation suggest shifting dynamics.
Trump, who spoke with Graham by phone Saturday night after the senator returned from Ukraine, hinted he may intervene in the selection process. "I have somebody that I think would be great," Trump told NBC News, declining to name the person but suggesting he might offer an endorsement once the initial mourning period passes.
Author James Rodriguez: "McMaster's choice will reshape South Carolina politics for years, and Trump's whispered endorsement suggests he plans to make sure his preferred candidate gets the boost that matters most in a compressed primary schedule."
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