South Carolina Republicans will hold their first primary debate on Monday in the contest to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the late Lindsey Graham, giving nearly ten declared candidates their first chance to distinguish themselves before voters. The race has drawn a mix of sitting lawmakers seeking a promotion and lesser-known hopefuls, but South Carolina political observers say only a handful are viewed as genuine contenders, raising the stakes for those candidates to perform well on stage.

Among those expected to take part are Reps Ralph Norman and William Timmons, along with other Republican figures vying to succeed Graham, while Graham's sister, Darline Graham, has also entered the special primary and has been campaigning on her brother's legacy following his funeral. Campaign advertising in the race has already turned sharply negative, with rival camps attacking one another's records as they compete for name recognition and conservative credibility ahead of the vote.