Graham wins South Carolina GOP Senate primary

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is projected to face off against Annie Andrews in November as the pediatrician seeks to unseat the four-term incumbent in South Carolina, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Graham and Andrews, who ran against five Republicans and two Democrats, respectively, won their primaries outright on Tuesday to avoid a June 23 primary runoff.

Although Graham was seen as the frontrunner in his race, his victory marks a win for President Trump, who endorsed Graham and joined a tele-rally with the senator Monday evening.

Graham defeated Republican challenger Mark Lynch, an appliance repair executive, who campaigned on the need for new leadership and attacked the senator’s foreign policy record.

Graham, who has served in the Senate since 2003 and significantly outspent his opponents, was seen as the clear frontrunner in the race. But his reputation as a foreign policy hawk and his push for a more interventionist foreign policy drew criticism from some conservatives, helping fuel a crowded primary field.

Graham was also backed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) and fellow Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.). Lynch, meanwhile, was endorsed by Project 2025 architect Paul Dans, who withdrew from the Senate race, and by former national security adviser Mike Flynn.

Throughout the campaign, Graham leaned on his decades in office, his close relationship with the president and his record of securing federal resources for South Carolina.

“I think we need people that know what the hell they’re doing and can deliver, really. And that’s what it’s about, having somebody in Washington that can deliver for you and your family,” Graham said in an interview with local news station WYFF News 4.

“If you think President Trump’s done a good job, I do too. He’s endorsed me, not my opponents, but me,” he continued. “If you want somebody to go to Washington that can help him, I’m your best choice. If you want somebody to go back to Washington who understands the world, the opportunities and dangers it presents to us as a state and nation, I’m your best choice.”

Graham edged out Duncan councilmember Calvin Cowen, Horry County Republican Party executive committeeman Patrick Herrmann, hip-hop artist Darius L. Mitchell and motivational speaker Thomas Dismukes.

Andrews, meanwhile, won endorsements from EMILYs List and former Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jaime Harrison, who unsuccessfully sought to unseat Graham in 2020.

The Palmetto State hasn’t elected a Democratic senator since 1998, when then-Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) won reelection. The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates Graham’s seat as “solid Republican.”

Caroline Vakil contributed to this report. Updated at 9:01 p.m.

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