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AP Decision Notes: What to Expect in South Carolina’s Special U.S. Senate Primary Runoff
Early voting rose in all Upstate counties, and election officials said 28 counties statewide saw higher turnout than in the August 11 primary.
On Tuesday, South Carolina voters head to the polls for the Republican Senate runoff between U.S. Sen. Darline Graham and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman to fill the seat vacated by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
This runoff follows Graham's first-place finish in the August 11 primary, where neither candidate secured the vote majority needed to avoid a second round. Graham finished with about 33%, while Norman received about 25%.
Early voting turnout increased across the Upstate ahead of Tuesday's election. Greenville County recorded 7,042 early votes versus 6,411 during the primary, while Spartanburg rose to 3,715 from 3,250, and Anderson jumped to 3,022 from 2,681.
Campaign strategists view the race as a regional tug-of-war between the Upstate and coastal areas. President Donald Trump held a rally in Myrtle Beach on Friday to bolster Graham's standing in the Pee Dee and Grand Strand regions.
The winner will advance to the November general election to face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a Charleston pediatrician who previously challenged U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in 2022.