Conservative Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) went from being a close ally of the late Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) — who is remembered for his scathing criticism of President Donald Trump — to being a staunch defender of Trump and the MAGA movement. Graham himself had plenty of negative things to say about Trump during the 2016 presidential election, but after Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was defeated, Graham took an aggressively pro-Trump turn.
Yet in deep red South Carolina, some MAGA Republicans believe that Graham should be voted out of office in 2026 for not being pro-Trump enough.
The State's Lucy Valeski, in an article published on Monday, grapples with the question of whether or not any GOP primary challengers in South Carolina's 2026 U.S. Senate race stand a chance against him.
"What do many Democrats, the Clemson College Republicans and South Carolina's Freedom Caucus have in common?" Valeski reports. "As Democrats and South Carolina's far right look for someone to unseat longtime Sen. Lindsey Graham, challengers have struggled to pick up the money and endorsements to do so…. Ahead of the Republican primary, Graham has raised $11 million more than the closest GOP candidate this election cycle, according to recent campaign finance filings. Graham has been fundraising longer than any other candidates. While Democrat Annie Andrews raised $1 million more than Graham in the third quarter, her war chest (was) still $1.2 million to his $14.5 million at the end of September."
Graham has two Republican primary challenges: Greenville businessman Mark Lynch and Project 2025's Paul Dans. But South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick isn't bullish on either of them and notes that Graham has Trump's endorsement.
McKissick told The State, "For Senate seats and congressional seats, they're looking for someone who's conservative and…. supports President Trump and his agenda. And you've seen that make a difference in races at that level where his endorsement has come into play."
Read Lucy Valeski's full article for The State at this link.
