Senator Lindsey Graham bests five Republican challengers

SOUTH CAROLINA – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) has defeated five challengers in a Republican primary avoiding an embarrassing runoff.

Graham finished with 56.8 percent of the vote - 263,895 votes. His closest challenger was Mark Lynch – who worked for an appliance repair company. Lynch attacked Graham and President Donald J. Trump's foreign policy and claimed it was time for a change – Graham has served as U.S. Senator since 2003. Lynch was endorsed by General Mike Flynn. It did not play well with GOP voters. Lynch only managed to get 134,286 votes (28.89% of the votes). Motivational speaker Thomas Keith Dismukes came in a distant third with 24,245 votes (5.2%). Duncan councilmember Calvin Cowen received 14,159 votes, Horry County Republican Party executive committeeman Pat Herrmann had 17,431, and hip-hop artist Darius L. Mitchell had 10,833.

Graham's easy win was a big victory for President Trump.

"Congratulations to Senator Lindsey Graham of the Great State of South Carolina on his BIG WIN tonight," President Trump said on Truth Social. "With almost 60% of the vote against a large field of very capable candidates, there will be no runoff. Now Lindsey will be able to devote his time to passing the desperately needed, and long overdue, SAVE AMERICA ACT!"

"It's been a great honor to have President Trump's endorsement for my reelection," Graham said. "The best way that I can pay him back is to continue to support his agenda and be his friend. I intend to do both."

Graham was also endorsed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) and fellow Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina).

"I think we need people that know what the hell they're doing and can deliver," Graham told local TV station WYFF recently. " If you want somebody to go back to Washington who understands the world, the opportunities and dangers it presents to us as a state and nation, I'm your best choice."

Graham was the Senate sponsor of the Big Beautiful Bill.

Trump endorsed 8 candidates in the South Carolina Republican primary. All 8 won. Maine, North Dakota, and Nevada also held GOP primaries on Tuesday. Trump endorsed candidates were 16 and 0. In those elections. Alabama will be the next test for President Trump. Trump has endorsed former GOP Chairman John Wahl for Lieutenant Governor and Congressman Barry Moore for U.S. Senate in the Alabama Republican runoff election on June 16.

Dr. Annie Andrews – a pediatrician - won the Democratic primary with 61.53% of the vote – 225,924 votes – edging out Brandon Brown with 110,878 votes and Kyle Freeman with 30,550 votes.

"Lindsey Graham has said himself that he is in Washington D.C. to do what Donald Trump tells him to do," Andrews said. "He has had a quarter century in the U.S. Senate and where has that gotten us? It is time to do something different."

Andrews was endorsed by former Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jaime Harrison who lost to Graham in 2020.

Graham and Andrews will face off in the November 3 general election. The last Democrat to win a Senate race in South Carolina was Ernest Hollings in 1998.

Election results are preliminary and are taken from the South Carolina Secretary of State's website as of press time.

Original reporting by The Hill and Fox News contributed to this report.

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