Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is projected to win South Carolina’s GOP U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday, securing the nomination and avoiding a runoff. Multiple outlets, including Decision Desk HQ, NBC News, and Bloomberg, project that Graham defeats his Republican challenger, businessman Mark Lynch, in a crowded field. The race centers on Graham’s bid for a fourth term in the Senate.
Sources also report that Graham has backing from President Donald Trump. The Hill and other coverage note Trump’s endorsement and his appearance at a tele-rally with Graham ahead of the vote, which framed the contest as a win for Trump’s allies in the party. Fox News characterizes the primary as reflecting ongoing internal GOP disagreements, with attention on a challenge from an anti-establishment wing.
On the Democratic side, The Hill reports that Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, leads that field, with polls closing at 7 p.m. EDT. With Graham winning the Republican primary, he moves on to the general election in South Carolina, a state described by The New York Times as strongly Republican.
