Overview

• André Bauer officially declared his 2026 Senate bid on July 2, opening a WinRed fundraising page to fuel his campaign operations.
• Bauer has branded himself a “real, America First conservative,” accusing Graham of voting like a long-tenured incumbent who has strayed from core Republican priorities.
• Lindsey Graham, a four-term senator and chair of the Senate Budget Committee, secured President Trump’s endorsement in March for his fifth term.
• Graham added veteran GOP strategist Chris LaCivita—co-campaign manager of Trump’s 2024 bid—as a senior adviser to bolster his reelection team.
• South Carolina’s dominance by Republican officeholders means the GOP primary victor is widely viewed as the presumptive winner of the 2026 Senate race.