Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) won South Carolina’s Republican Senate primary on Tuesday. He defeated businessman Mark Lynch and secured the GOP nomination for another term in the U.S. Senate.
According to the Associated Press, Graham received about 59% of the vote. Lynch received roughly 27%. The margin allowed Graham to avoid a runoff and advance to the general election.
Graham was first elected to the Senate in 2002. He entered the race as the clear favorite. He also received an early endorsement from President Donald Trump, who repeatedly urged South Carolina Republicans to support his reelection bid.
Trump described Graham as having his “complete and total endorsement.” He also praised the senator’s support for administration priorities.
In a social media post before Election Day, Graham highlighted Trump’s backing. He encouraged supporters to vote and said he and the president could continue delivering results for South Carolina.
Despite his victory, Graham faced a more contentious primary than in previous election cycles. Lynch, a wealthy businessman, ran on an “America First” platform. He criticized Graham’s support for foreign intervention and sought to appeal to conservative voters skeptical of the senator’s foreign policy views.
Lynch received endorsements from several former Trump administration officials. Those included former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent, former Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. He argued that Graham represented “endless war and endless spending.” He made foreign policy a central issue in his campaign.
Polling earlier this year suggested Lynch had gained traction among some conservative voters. Graham, however, maintained a substantial lead throughout most of the campaign. An InsiderAdvantage survey conducted in May found Graham with 56% support among likely Republican primary voters. Lynch received 13% support in the poll.
With the primary behind him, Graham will now turn his attention to the general election. He is expected to face Democrat Annie Andrews. Andrews won the Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday, defeating Brandon P. Brown and Kyle Freeman.
Graham’s victory keeps one of the Senate’s most prominent Republicans on track for a fifth full term. It also preserves a seat that Republicans are strongly favored to hold in November.