South Carolina GOP Senate candidates unlikely to match Lindsey Graham’s foreign policy focus

A crowded field of Republicans will compete in Tuesday’s special primary to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham. While the eventual winner is expected to support Israel, analysts suggest it is unlikely any successor will replicate the specific foreign policy influence and focus of Graham, who died on 11 July at age 71. A fixture in the Senate for 23 years and a former member of the House, Graham was a staunch advocate for military action against Iran and a key figure on the Armed Services and Budget committees. Following the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack, he visited Israel approximately 12 times. Scott Huffmon, a political scientist at Winthrop University, noted that Graham’s Cold War-era background shaped a worldview that prioritised a secure Israel, a legacy that will be difficult for a newcomer to match. Following Graham’s death, Governor Henry McMaster appointed his younger sister, Darline Graham, to serve the remainder of his term. Despite limited policy experience, she quickly secured Donald Trump’s endorsement. She faces nine challengers, including Representatives Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, as well as former Governor Mark Sanford and Mark Lynch. A recent Emerson College poll placed Norman ahead with 22% support, followed by Darline Graham at 19% and Fry at 12%. The campaign has been dominated by domestic concerns; an Emerson poll of 500 Republican voters found that only 3.5% identified foreign policy as their top priority, compared to 59.5% for the economy and 18.7% for immigration. While Israel is not a central campaign issue, Huffmon described it as a 'threshold issue,' noting that anti-Israel positions could be disqualifying for candidates, even if voters prioritise economic stability. Despite the focus on domestic policy, 56.1% of respondents expressed strong support for US military action against Iran.