South Carolina GOP runoff enters final voting day between Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman

South Carolina Republican voters are set to cast ballots Tuesday in a runoff election to select the party’s nominee to appear on November’s ballot, replacing the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. The contest is between his sister, Darline Graham, and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, setting up a final sprint after neither candidate won a majority in the earlier primary.

As the runoff campaign entered its closing days, both sides emphasized turnout operations and conservative issue messaging, while the public calendar included a debate that featured a prominent gaffe, according to South Carolina ETV’s Gavin Jackson as reported by PBS NewsHour Politics. The debate moment drew attention to differences between the two candidates and became part of the final round of voter persuasion.

The last stretch also included a rally by President Donald Trump, who appeared at a campaign event tied to the runoff, PBS NewsHour Politics reported. The rally highlighted the Trump-aligned presidential campaign emphasis on state-level races and GOP primary successors, with organizers framing the event as a key late push to energize voters before Election Day.

Because the runoff determines who will carry the seat into November, the immediate effect is on ballot placement and the timeline for the general-election campaign. Whoever wins Tuesday will represent the Republican Party in the general election as the party’s nominee for the seat being vacated by the late senator.

The runoff outcome also concentrates campaign resources into a single final vote, rather than spreading attention across multiple primary contenders. Both candidates have been working to distinguish themselves with voters on personal background and policy themes in the period leading up to the runoff.

Election administration in South Carolina means the Republican nominee chosen Tuesday will move forward on the November ballot, while the general-election race will then focus on broader turnout among South Carolina voters. PBS NewsHour Politics framed the final days as an “electoral sprint,” underscoring how quickly the nomination decision must be made ahead of the general election.

Tuesday’s vote is expected to settle the GOP nomination without further intraparty runoff stages, leaving the November campaign to the selected nominee and their general-election opponent(s).