Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has officially entered the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat previously held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, setting up a crowded contest despite President Trump’s endorsement of Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham. Sanford launched his campaign by emphasizing fiscal responsibility and warning about the nation’s growing debt.
Sanford, who also served multiple terms in Congress, has long been known as a fiscal conservative. His campaign announcement focused almost exclusively on government spending, inflation, and the national debt, arguing that Washington must restore financial discipline before the country’s economic challenges become even more severe.
Although Sanford did not mention President Trump in his campaign launch, the two have a well-documented political history. Trump backed Sanford’s successful primary challenger in 2018 after Sanford frequently criticized the administration’s spending policies during Trump’s first term.
Sanford joins a Republican field that includes Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed to fill the remainder of her brother’s Senate term and has received President Trump’s full endorsement. Also seeking the nomination are Reps. Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, along with businessman Mark Lynch. The special Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, with a runoff planned for Aug. 25 if no candidate wins a majority of the vote.
Because South Carolina remains a reliably Republican state, the GOP nominee is widely expected to enter the general election as the favorite. The race is expected to test whether President Trump’s endorsement will once again prove decisive in a competitive Republican primary.
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