Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 25

Nancy Mace Challenges Darline Graham's 2026 Ballot Eligibility as Trump Backs Senate Bid

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 25

Nancy Mace Challenges Darline Graham's 2026 Ballot Eligibility as Trump Backs Senate Bid

Q: Will South Carolina officials clarify Darline Graham’s ballot status before the August 11 special primary?

Probably yes, but not definitively yet. South Carolina Republicans have a strong incentive to resolve Darline Graham’s ballot status before the August 11 special primary because the filing period closes July 28 and party officials have said qualification questions should be addressed before certification. Dorchester County GOP Chairman CJ Westfall has formally asked the state party’s Rules Committee to determine whether Graham meets Rule 11(a)(6), which requires a candidate to have voted in at least two of the last three statewide Republican primaries unless the State Executive Committee grants a waiver. At this point, no public ruling has been announced, and reporting says it remains unclear when the Rules Committee will meet or whether a waiver will be considered. That means there is still uncertainty over the timing, even though the process is already underway. The key distinction is that this is mainly a party-qualification issue, not a broader state election-law dispute. The South Carolina Election Commission has already clarified voter eligibility for the August 11 primary, but Graham’s candidacy question appears to rest with the South Carolina Republican Party’s internal review and certification process. So the most evidence-based answer is that officials are likely to clarify her status before ballots are finalized for the special primary, but as of July 25 there is no confirmed public decision and no guarantee of exactly when that clarification will come.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 25

Nancy Mace said Darline Graham may not qualify for South Carolina’s Republican Senate primary ballot, arguing it is unclear whether she voted in two of the last three GOP primaries as required under a new July state law.
The challenge came just after Graham announced she will enter next month’s special primary to seek a full Senate term after being appointed to fill the vacancy left by her brother, Lindsey Graham.
CJ Westfall, a local South Carolina GOP chairman, said he is seeking a formal determination on Graham’s eligibility, citing voter concerns over her voting history and lack of political experience.
Mace, who ruled out her own Senate run on Monday, instead endorsed Rep. Ralph Norman and openly split with Donald Trump, who urged Graham to run after a White House meeting.
The break tests how much Trump’s endorsement can shape a South Carolina Republican primary that Mace says will be decided by independently minded conservative voters.