Lindsey Graham’s death will shake the Senate, and the November election. Here’s what comes next
The sudden death of influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham will have implications for legislative business and the November elections in the Senate, where Republicans’ slim margin is already under stress due to the absence of Senator Mitch McConnell. Here’s what we know about what happens next.
How will Graham’s seat be filled?
under state lawSouth Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster may appoint an interim replacement to fill Graham’s currently vacant seat.
But since Graham is up for re-election this year, his death will set up a quick primary to replace him on the November ballot.
Officials have not yet announced how Graham will be relocated, but State Law There appear to be calls for a special primary election to be held on August 11 and a possible runoff on August 25 to choose a new candidate.
According to this timeline, candidate applications will last from July 21 to July 28.
The winner of the primary will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in November.
One expression On Sunday, Andrews called Graham “a man of great faith who proudly served our nation as a JAG officer and Air Force colonel.”
“I hope South Carolinians will put partisanship aside and join me in expressing gratitude to Senator Lindsey Graham for his service to the great state of South Carolina,” he said.
Who could replace Graham?
It’s too early to say for sure who will replace Graham. But on Sunday, some early names began to emerge.
Rep. Nancy Mace, who finished fifth in the last South Carolina gubernatorial primary, told CNN she was “strongly considering” a bid for the seat.
A source familiar with the matter told CNN that South Carolina’s lieutenant governor, Pamela Akşamte, has made calls about entering the race.
Yeste ran for governor this year and received the support of President Donald Trump, but lost in the runoff after Trump also endorsed his opponent.
Trump said Sunday that Graham had someone in mind whose term he wanted to see out.
“There’s someone who I think would be great, but I don’t want to say that now because it’s too soon for Lindsey,” Trump said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
South Carolina Representative Joe Wilson Posted on social media on Sunday He said he had spoken to the president and implied that he was not interested in the interim appointment.
“I am grateful to speak with President Trump today, honoring our mutual friend Senator Lindsey Graham,” Wilson said.
“I assured him that my goal is to stay in the House to maintain the two-vote majority of the American people!!!”
Rep. Ralph Norman, a leading member of the House Freedom Caucus who was once thought to be considering challenging Graham in the GOP primary, told CNN he has not decided whether he is now interested in potentially running to replace him.
“I don’t know,” he told CNN in a phone interview Sunday morning when asked about his interest in potentially running for the seat.
“I’m like everyone else, it’s a shock,” he said.
Norman, who ran for governor in last month’s primary election, finished third and did not advance to the second round in this race. While Norman is a fierce defender of Trump, his calls for fiscal restraint sometimes put him at odds with GOP leaders and the White House.
Norman said the Senate wasn’t necessarily on his radar, but “you can do a lot of good things in the Senate.”
“The only thing I’m weighing right now is that he’s dead. It’s very sad,” Norman said.
What does this mean for the balance of power in the Senate?
Graham’s death should not have a short-term impact on the overall balance of power in the Senate.
McMaster is a Republican, so his appointment would restore the 53-47 GOP advantage in the chamber.
There will also likely be pressure on McMaster to make an appointment quickly, as the Republican caucus has been one member short in recent weeks. McConnell’s hospitalization.
What regulatory issues might this affect?
Although Graham’s death did not have an overall impact on control of the Senate, he was a key player on important issues in the chamber.
The Senate budget committee, which Graham chairs, was in the early stages of working on a complex budget reconciliation process to push through parts of Trump’s voter ID bill.
GOP lawmakers had hoped to work quickly to meet the president’s demands, which have caused major obstacles to their agenda on Capitol Hill. Frustrated that the Save America Act did not have the votes to pass the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, Trump pushed lawmakers to eliminate the filibuster and refused to sign other bipartisan housing bill in protest. (HE became law Anyway.)
Trump noted Graham’s support for the SAVE Act during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday’s “State of the Union.”
“I think he was coming on board for the fraud and ending the fraud. But before we did that, he was a strong advocate for Save America,” Trump said, adding that the two had talked about the legislation just hours before Graham’s death.
Trump also noted that Graham has supported him in other contexts, including the fight to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The Senate will also consider the White House’s request for additional defense funds during the Iran war. Graham would be an outspoken advocate for the measure, which faces a tough road in Congress because it could require a bipartisan vote to pass under Senate rules.
Further funding for the Pentagon faces another challenge due to the absence of McConnell, chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations subcommittee.
Graham would also be a key advocate for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who is scheduled to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, where Trump hopes to confirm he will permanently run the Justice Department.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.
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