Rep. Ralph Norman, RS.C., joins 'Mornings with Maria' to discuss the Senate race, the SAVE Act, reconciliation 3.0 and why he says Congress must advance President Donald Trump's agenda.
Attorney Ralph Norman, RS.C., stopped short Wednesday of announcing his candidacy for Sen. The late Lindsey Graham.
Norman gave an interview Wednesday on FOX Business' “Mornings with Maria,” saying he “loves the job.”
“The reason I'm interested? The Senate is standing in the way of passing President Trump's agenda. They just are. It starts with the SAVE Act, to make sure Americans who are Americans vote in elections,” Norman said.
Several times throughout the interview, Norman said he would like to do away with the filibuster, a Senate process that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation.
TRUMP REVEALS WHO HE WAS NOT WONDERING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING LINDSEY GRAHAM
Rep. Ralph Norman, RS.C., leaves the US Capitol after the week's final votes on September 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“We have to do whatever it takes to make sure we have a safe election, make sure our borders are secure, and move forward on it,” Norman said. “I think there will be a filibuster, which is what the Democrats will do when they come back to power.”
Norman has not officially announced a campaign in the upcoming special election that will allow voters to choose the Republican nominee to replace Graham.
“There are many obstacles that need to be removed legally, that's what will be fixed,” said Norman.
Graham, who served more than 23 years in the Senate, died Saturday at his home in Washington, DC, a day after returning from a trip to Kyiv. Preliminary results from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia indicate that Graham died of an aortic dissection.
Sen. Lindsey Graham conducts a Senate Budget Committee hearing at the Dirksen Building on June 16, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
LINDSEY GRAHAM'S SISTER BECAME SOUTH CAROLINA'S FIRST WOMAN SENATE
His sister, Sen. Darline Graham, newly minted, RS.C., was sworn in Tuesday to serve out the remainder of her term, which ends Jan. 3, 2027.
The winner of the November general election will be sworn in that day for a full six-year term. Norman said Darline Graham will do a “good job” for now.
There is less than a month left for those who want to represent the Senate to run for office. According to South Carolina law, the Republican special election will be held on Aug. 11 and candidates can file to continue from 21 July.
If Norman chooses to mount a campaign, it won't be the first time he's run in a special election.
He first came to Congress in 2017 after running for the seat vacated by Mick Mulvaney when President Donald Trump nominated him to be director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Sen. Darline Graham, RS.C., center, walks with staff and Capitol Police after being sworn in at the US Capitol on July 14, 2026, in Washington, DC (Eric Lee/Getty Images)
TRUMP'S BAD GOP ANALYST HAS BEEN HIS STRONGEST VOICE ON WAR AND PEACE.
If Norman chooses to run, one of his opponents will be Mark Lynch, a businessman who was defeated by Graham in the Republican primary in June.
In a social media post Monday, Lynch announced his intentions to renew his campaign and run in the upcoming special election.
“Yes, it is legal. I am determined to finish what God has called us to since February of 2025. To return the South Carolina Senate seat to the TRUE Conservative leadership of the Republican Party,” Lynch said in a statement.
Rep. Russell Fry, RS.C., could also be a strong contender for Graham's position, as Trump recently suggested he might support him.
Rep. Russell Fry, RS.C., arrives at the House Republican Conference caucus meeting at the Capitol Hill Club in Washington on May 13, 2026. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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“I think Russell Fry, the young congressman, is outstanding, and that's possible. I could see that happening,” Trump said. he told Newsmax Monday night. “I think you are a very talented person.”
A source familiar with Fry's planning confirmed to Fox News Digital that the lawmaker has been talking to White House staff about running for the seat.
Rep. Nancy Mace, RS.C., who lost South Carolina's gubernatorial primary last month, is also considering a run, according to Politico.
Other possible candidates include Mark Sanford, a former South Carolina governor and congressman, and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette of South Carolina.
