NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n President Donald Trump has made his pick to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., but several Republicans eyeing his seat don\u2019t care.<\/p>\n A handful of hopefuls vying to win the Republican nomination in August to take the reins from Graham have already announced their intent to jump into the race, despite Trump throwing his endorsement power behind Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., Graham\u2019s sister who many believed to be a placeholder for the remainder of his term.<\/p>\n Trump on Friday, after meeting with Graham in the Oval Office, announced his “complete and total endorsement” for her to get into the race.<\/p>\n TIM SCOTT SAYS HE’D ‘LOVE TO SEE’ FOX NEWS HOST REPLACE LINDSEY GRAHAM<\/strong><\/p>\n President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 16, 2026.<\/span> (Saul Loeb\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n “I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the U.S. Senate in the Special Republican Primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026,” Trump said. “I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey.”<\/p>\n She has not yet committed, and the coveted Trump endorsement has not stopped Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., businessman Mark Lynch or the latest to jump in, Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., from entering the fray.<\/p>\n Fry, in particular, was just last week lauded by Trump as someone to watch. He also had spent time speaking with White House operatives about launching a bid, and a Trump endorsement seemed all but guaranteed.<\/p>\n GRAHAM’S DEATH IGNITES GOP SCRAMBLE FOR SENATE SEAT AS TRUMP HINTS HE ALREADY HAS A FAVORITE<\/strong><\/p>\n A source in Fry\u2019s political orbit told Fox News Digital that the lawmaker has “accomplished more than all the potential candidates combined,” having passed three bills in his first four years in Congress.<\/p>\n “This is really about giving voters a choice and not a coronation,” they said.<\/p>\n Still, Fry is not running away from Trump. In his campaign announcement, Fry noted, “Of the many things Lindsey Graham believed in, standing with President Trump and advancing the Republican agenda were among his defining principles.”<\/p>\n “There is no other way to put it: Lindsey Graham was one of a kind,” Fry said. “There is no replacing him, but I believe the best way to honor his legacy is to fight alongside the president just as steadfastly as he did.”<\/p>\n During this cycle, at least, the Trump endorsement has not proven a sure bet.<\/p>\n South Carolina-based Republican consultant Dave Wilson told Fox News Digital, “South Carolina voters want to have a choice and not be told who they need to be voting for.”<\/p>\n GRAHAM ALLY RIPS ‘THIRSTY’ REPUBLICANS JOCKEYING TO REPLACE LATE SENATOR<\/strong><\/p>\n Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., arrives for the House Republican Conference caucus meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington on May 13, 2026.<\/span> (Bill Clark\/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n “The president\u2019s quick endorsement of Darline Graham was very symbolic,” Wilson said, but added, “We\u2019re seeing in South Carolina that his endorsement didn\u2019t carry as much weight as people thought it was going to.”<\/p>\n Wilson was referring to Trump\u2019s endorsement of Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette ahead of last month\u2019s GOP gubernatorial primary.<\/p>\n Evette was the top vote getter in the primary but lost the ensuing runoff election against South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in a landslide. And Trump, ever hungry for a victory, endorsed both Wilson and Evette days before the runoff.<\/p>\n Veteran Republican strategist and communicator Ryan Williams told Fox News Digital that a Trump endorsement is “a major boost for any candidacy, but it doesn\u2019t necessarily give you a lock on the seat.”<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/p>\n Just because Trump has thrown his weight behind Graham doesn\u2019t mean others shouldn\u2019t run, Williams contended. He noted that Senate seats rarely open up in South Carolina, and that when the opportunity presents itself, hopefuls need to seize it.<\/p>\n “If you\u2019re an aspiring House member in South Carolina, this is your time to run regardless of whom the president is supporting,” Williams said.<\/p>\n “There\u2019s no downside for running,” he continued. “They\u2019re all going to run as Trump Republicans, and they\u2019re all going to flatter the president on the campaign trail.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Donald](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1200\/675\/President-Donald-Trump-South-Carolina.jpg?ve=1&tl=1\")
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