Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC) on Monday announced he will enter the South Carolina GOP special primary to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on November’s ballot.
“South Carolina, I’m in! I’m running for the U.S. Senate. Too many South Carolina families are struggling to make ends meet. High gas prices and soaring grocery costs are hurting hardworking people,” Fry said.
“We need a conservative fighter in the Senate who delivers real results. I will be your conservative MAGA candidate in the special primary Senate election this summer. I’m ready for the fight, and I’m all in,” he continued.
South Carolina, I'm in! I’m running for the U.S. Senate.
Too many South Carolina families are struggling to make ends meet. High gas prices and soaring grocery costs are hurting hardworking people.
We need a conservative fighter in the Senate who delivers real results. I will… pic.twitter.com/bVLHSt1hgB
— Russell Fry (@RussellFrySC) July 20, 2026
The Hill shared further:
Fry said South Carolinians facing high gas and grocery costs “need a conservative in the U.S. Senate who actually delivers results,” comparing himself to Graham in that he was “raised in a close, modest family that taught me there is no substitute for hard work and that success comes from giving back.”
“Of the many things Lindsey Graham believed in, standing with President Trump and advancing the Republican agenda were among his defining principles,” Fry said. “There is no other way to put it: Lindsey Graham was one of a kind. There is no replacing him. But I believe the best way to honor his legacy is to fight alongside the President just as steadfastly as he did.”
ADVERTISEMENTFry accused “socialist Democrats” of recruiting his opponent, Annie Andrews (D), who was running against Graham for his seat before his death. Fry said Andrews “would bring the same woke, far-left agenda to South Carolina that has hurt families all across America.”
“Our state deserves a Senator who will stand with President Trump, not stand in his way,” Fry’s statement concludes.
Fry joins a crowded race that includes businessman Mark Lynch and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC).
“It’s official! I’m running to represent the people of South Carolina in the U.S. Senate because we need a fighter who will stand with President Trump and carry on Lindsey Graham’s legacy!” Norman said.
“I’ve spent years fighting for the Palmetto State in the state house, in Congress, and now I want to get the SAVE America Act passed in the Senate! Check out our website and join our fight!” he added.
CNBC has more:
A victory for either Fry or Norman in the Senate nomination could complicate Republicans’ thin House majority.
Mark Lynch, a South Carolina businessman who came in second against Lindsey Graham in South Carolina’s June GOP primary, announced on July 13 that he would enter the race. Duke Buckner, who launched two unsuccessful bids, in 2022 and 2024, to unseat Democratic Rep. James Clyburn in South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District, has also announced his candidacy.
Graham, who was sworn in last Tuesday, has not officially said whether she’ll seek the seat for a six-year term. In a open letter to her constituents, released over the weekend, she thanked voters for their outpouring of support.
“Lindsey dedicated his life to serving South Carolina and defending our nation. He accomplished so much, yet he still had so many big ideas that he was determined to see through,” Graham wrote. “Now, it’s time for me to step up for South Carolina, just like he stepped up for me when our parents died. In the most challenging of times, I’ve learned God often calls on ordinary people to do extraordinary things.”
ADVERTISEMENTAnd Trump, in his TruthSocial post urging Graham to seek the nomination, called her a “spectacular person, and a true American Patriot.”
