Voters in South Carolina will elect one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on November 3, 2026. The primary was June 9, 2026, and a primary runoff was June 23, 2026. The filing deadline was March 30, 2026. The election will fill the Class II Senate seat formerly held by Lindsey Graham (R), who first took office in 2003.
Graham, who won renomination in the June 9 Republican primary, died on July 11, 2026.[1] On July 13, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to replace him in the Senate and complete the remainder of his term.[2] A special primary election to select a replacement candidate is scheduled for August 11, with a runoff on August 25 if no candidate wins a majority.[3]
The outcome of this race will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate in the 120th Congress. Thirty-three of the 100 U.S. Senate seats are up for election, and another two seats are up for special election. Democrats hold 13 of the seats up for election, and Republicans hold 21. One seat up for election is vacant following the death of Lindsey Graham (R).
Currently, Republicans have a 52-45 majority in the chamber.
https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_election_in_South_Carolina,_2026