The sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, comes less than four months before he was set to appear on the ballot as a strong favorite to win a fifth term.
Now, South Carolina Republicans are facing a fast-paced scramble to replace him on the general election ballot. (Mr. Graham won the Republican primary by a wide margin this year.)
South Carolina law sets out a timeline for replacing him on the ballot. Its provisions suggest a special primary election will be held on Aug. 11, according to the schedule set out in the law. If no candidate secures a majority, a runoff between the top two finishers would take place two weeks later, on Aug. 25.
Candidates can file for the seat as soon as July 21, the second Tuesday after Mr. Graham’s death, and the filing period will close on July 28. State law says that the election must happen on the second Tuesday after that deadline.
Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, can appoint a replacement to serve out the rest of Mr. Graham’s Senate term, through Jan. 3, 2027, under state law. The replacement could choose to compete for the Republican nomination in the special primary.
Mr. Graham died of “a brief and sudden illness” on Saturday evening, his office said in a statement just after 2 a.m. Eastern on Sunday.
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