Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) are reportedly leading a crowded field of Republican candidates in the race for South Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat, according to a new Emerson College poll released Thursday.
The survey found Norman with 22 percent support among likely Republican primary voters, giving him a narrow lead over Graham, who received 19 percent.
The remainder of the field trails behind the two frontrunners. Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) earned 12 percent support, followed closely by former Rep. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) with 11 percent. Businessman Mark Lynch received 7 percent, while businessman Danny Ford II garnered 2 percent.
Despite the early polling numbers, the race remains far from settled. With a large number of candidates competing for the nomination, 25 percent of likely Republican voters said they remain undecided, leaving a significant portion of the electorate still up for grabs ahead of the special primary election.
The Emerson survey also highlighted differences in support among various age groups.
Norman performed strongest among younger and middle-aged Republican voters. He received 24 percent support from voters under the age of 50 and 25 percent from those in their 50s.
Graham’s strongest backing came from older Republicans, with 30 percent of her supporters coming from voters over the age of 70.
The poll also measured the impact of President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Graham.
A majority of respondents—53 percent—said Trump’s endorsement did not influence their support for any candidate in the race. Meanwhile, 29 percent said the president’s backing made them more likely to support Graham over the other Republican contenders.
The survey also found overwhelming support among likely special election voters for holding a candidate debate before the Aug. 11 Republican special primary. Only 12 percent of those surveyed said a debate among the candidates was unnecessary, indicating broad interest in seeing the field publicly discuss the issues before ballots are cast.
The contest has attracted a sizable number of candidates. As of Tuesday, 12 individuals had officially filed to run for the Senate seat. Former Rep. Mark Sanford entered the race last week, adding another well-known Republican name to the already crowded field.
Graham was initially appointed to fill the remainder of her brother’s Senate term following his unexpected death earlier this month. She later announced her campaign for a full six-year term after President Trump encouraged her to run, describing her as a “true American Patriot.”
She assumed the Senate seat after former Sen. Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly from an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. He was 71 years old.
Earlier this week, Graham joined several lawmakers at her brother’s funeral in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. President Trump also honored the late senator during services at Washington National Cathedral, alongside world leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Emerson College survey was conducted July 28-29 among 500 likely South Carolina Republican primary voters. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.
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