Who will replace Trump’s friend Lindsey Graham in the US Senate? | | Political Affairs

The US president has indicated that he is considering a candidate for South Carolina senator.

The negative impact that the majority of Republicans in the United States Senate had on the death of Lindsey Graham it should be temporary.

Meanwhile, Republicans hold 52 seats in the 100-member chamber, after losing Graham to a “brief and sudden illness” late Saturday, according to his office.

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But South Carolina’s election laws give Republican Governor Henry McMaster the authority to immediately appoint someone to fill Graham’s seat.

“When there is a vacancy in the office of United States Senator by death, resignation or otherwise, the Governor may fill the vacancy by appointment,” the law states.

Graham’s term was set to expire in January. They call for elections in November in the middle of the vote.

A primary race will be held next month to determine who will replace him as the Republican nominee. The first round of voting will take place on August 11, and if there is no winner with the majority of votes, a second round will take place on August 25.

McMaster released a brief statement cried Grahamnot to mention plans to replace it. The law does not set an appointment time, but the governor must fill the seat as soon as possible to ensure that President Donald Trump’s agenda is not interrupted in the Senate.

Graham was one of Trump’s closest allies on Capitol Hill.

In his statement, McMaster called the late senator “a great fighter for South Carolina and America and a loyal and steadfast friend”.

“Our hearts go out to Darline, her family and her dedicated staff,” McMaster said, referring to Graham’s sister. “May God hold him gently in his hand.”

It is not yet clear who McMaster will choose to replace Graham. The governor can appoint a candidate to fill the vacant seat through mid-November, to avoid interfering with the election.

They could also choose someone to run for the rest of the term, which would give him a position that would boost their reputation – and thus, their chances at the ballot box.

Other governors have faced similar challenges. In California, for example, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has pursued both approaches in recent years.

When Kamala Harris stepped down from her Senate seat to run for US vice president in 2021, Newsom nominated state representative Alex Padilla to replace her. Padilla won a special election for the seat the following year.

But in 2023, when Senator Dianne Feinstein After his death, Newsom appointed political operative Laphonza Butler, who was unable to run for re-election in 2024.

But in Graham’s case, the White House could be in trouble. Trump said he is considering supporting someone to replace the senator.

“I have someone who I think would be good, but I don’t want to say it right now because it’s Lindsey,” the US president told NBC News.

“I don’t even want to talk about anyone, but I have someone who I think is really cool.”

South Carolina, the southernmost state on the Atlantic coast of the US, has been a Republican stronghold for decades. Trump won the state by about 18 percent in 2024.

But polls have shown that Graham doesn’t want to run again. His Democratic challenger, pediatrician Annie Andrews, was closing in on him.

A June poll by Impact Research showed the incumbent senator leading by just three percentage points.

Graham became a figure of pride even among Republicans, due to his strong commitment to Israel and US-Israeli support. war in Iran.

On Sunday, Andrews praised Graham without mentioning the election or politics.

“I hope South Carolinians will join me in putting together a series of tributes to Senator Lindsey Graham for his service to the great state of South Carolina,” he said in a statement.