Four Republicans vying for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) seat on the November ballot faced off in a debate hosted by Nexstar Media Group, The Hill’s parent company, on Tuesday, August 5th, 2026. The candidates included Reps. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), former Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.), and businessman Mark Lynch.

During the debate, multiple candidates praised Graham, with Sanford noting the late senator was the godfather of his youngest son. Fry referenced Graham’s defense of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his 2018 confirmation hearings and his efforts to bring resources back to South Carolina, also known as the Palmetto State.

Despite Graham’s 23 years in the Senate as a staunch advocate for American interventionism abroad, all four candidates said they would prioritize domestic policy over foreign affairs. Lynch criticized Graham for the national debt increasing to $39 trillion during his 18 months as chair of the Senate Budget Committee and emphasized an “America First” foreign policy approach.

Local issues also featured prominently. Lynch described data centers as a “threat to our neighborhoods,” while Sanford advocated for local community input on data center development and called for federal regulatory “guardrails.” Lynch agreed with former President Trump that Iran should not have access to nuclear weapons but argued for bringing U.S. troops home and focusing on affordability issues such as rising gas prices, which have increased from under $3 to about $4.09 per gallon, according to AAA.

The debate took place just one day before early voting began in the special GOP primary.

Sources