Elected officials and people familiar with U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham recounted countless memories of the senator following his death late Saturday night. The immediate focus was on Graham's service and past, but the open U.S. Senate seat means voters will have just about a month until a special primary election — and four months until the General Election — to decide the future of the position Graham had held since January 2003.
The fate of the seat temporarily begins with Gov. Henry McMaster, whom by state law can name a replacement to stay in office until the term's Jan. 3 end. Michelle LeClair, a spokesperson for the governor, said the office's current focus is on honoring Graham's life.
"At this time, our focus is on honoring Senator Graham's life and service. Questions regarding the process for filling the vacancy will be addressed by the Governor's Office when there are updates to share," she said in a text message.
No timeline was given regarding the appointment when asked, but no matter the selection, anyone vying for the seat in the long term will have just about two weeks from Monday to join the race.
As set by state law, the filing period for a special primary election opens the second Tuesday after the death of a candidate who was nominated by primary election; the candidate filing period will open July 21 and close July 28. The GOP primary election would then take place Aug. 11.
Voters and potential candidates now have an expedited timeline in selecting a potential GOP successor. Graham had won the Republican nomination for the seat June 9 with about 57% of the vote against challenger March Lynch and four other candidates.
Lynch, who finished second in the race with nearly 29% of the vote, has not publicly stated if he will run for the seat again. He released a statement Sunday afternoon that called Graham's death a "profound loss for South Carolina and our nation."
Graham was running for a fifth term in the U.S. Senate. The winner of the special primary will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews. She received about 62% of the vote in the Democratic side of the race.
Andrews, too, released a statement Sunday in which she asked South Carolinians to join her in "setting partisanship aside and offering gratitude to Senator Lindsey Graham for his service to the great state of South Carolina."
Former South Carolina House Majority Leader Gary Simrill said choosing a successor for the position would be a challenging, daunting task.
"South Carolina, we had a seat at the table with Sen. [Strom] Thurmond and Sen. [Frtiz] Hollings, and we had a seat at the table with Sen. Graham," he said.
Graham spent just two years in the South Carolina House, and those years lined up with Simrill's first two years as a General Assembly member.
Simrill was adamant that Graham's upbringing helped him connect with South Carolinians. His parent died while he was a college student, and he eventually adopted his then 13-year-old sister, Darline Graham Nordone.
"When he was talking to anyone in South Carolina, regardless of the issue, there was a part of him that could always relate. And that becomes important," Simrill said.
An ideal successor for Simrill would make in-person connections with voters and minimize outside chatter on social media. President Donald Trump said on Meet the Press Sunday that there was a potential candidate he liked, but the president refused to name them.
For now, voters will have to wait to analyze the still unknown field of candidates and wait for the governor's appointment.
