Roll Call Reports from South Carolina's Special Senate Primary
CQ Roll Call traveled to South Carolina to cover the special primary election for the Senate seat left vacant by Lindsey Graham's death. Photo editor Bill Clark documented candidates and voters as they made their pitches. The primary takes place on Tuesday.
The Republican primary features ten candidates, including former Governor Mark Sanford, who brought pigs to the State House to protest government waste. Other contenders include Representatives Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride, and businessman Mark Lynch.
Appointed Senator Darline Graham remained in Washington for final votes, missing the campaign trail. Democratic nominee Annie Andrews spent Saturday meeting voters at a Gullah Geechee celebration. Attorney General Alan Wilson organized a Charleston campaign forum, where he also promoted his own gubernatorial bid.
The primary's result could shape the Senate's partisan balance, influencing national legislative priorities. South Carolina voters may experience heightened political engagement as a crowded field competes, potentially driving turnout for the November general election. The contest could also affect local dynamics, particularly as gubernatorial and House races, like the 1st District, unfold alongside it.