Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina has reached out to President Trump seeking his endorsement in the upcoming special primary to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, according to a report from Bloomberg Government. The conversation took place on Sunday, just hours after Graham's office announced his passing.
When Norman directly asked for Trump's backing, the president replied, “give me a week,” signaling he is not yet ready to commit publicly. Neither the White House nor Norman's office immediately responded to requests for comment.
Norman is expected to make a formal announcement about his candidacy on Tuesday in Washington, D.C., setting the stage for a competitive race. The filing period for Republican candidates opens July 21 and closes July 28, with a special primary scheduled for August 11 and a runoff, if needed, on August 25.
Norman is not alone in eyeing the seat. Representative Nancy Mace, who also lost the GOP gubernatorial primary in June, is considering a bid. Both Norman and Mace were defeated by Attorney General Alan Wilson, who had Trump's endorsement after the president initially backed Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette. Trump's eventual dual endorsement left the field without a clear favorite.
Trump has been actively intervening in primaries nationwide to maintain Republican control of Congress. His involvement in this race comes as the party grapples with the sudden loss of Graham, a four-term senator who succeeded Strom Thurmond. The president hinted on NBC's “Meet the Press” that he has a preferred candidate but declined to name them out of respect for Graham. “I have somebody that I think would be great, but I don’t want to say it now because it’s just, you know, it’s too soon with Lindsey,” Trump said. He added, “I don’t want to even talk about anybody, but I do have somebody that I think is really good.”
The eventual Republican nominee will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the November general election. The contest is already drawing national attention, as it could shift the balance of power in the Senate. For more on the circumstances surrounding Graham's death, see the FBI's involvement in the investigation. The political fallout is also significant, as Graham's death dealt a major setback to Trump's SAVE America Act.
South Carolina's legal framework for replacing a senator is straightforward, as outlined in the state's succession law. With the primary just weeks away, candidates are scrambling to secure key endorsements and build momentum.
