US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), speaking in the Dirksen Senate office building in Washington, DC, on July 15, 2025. Photo: IMAGO/MediaPunch via Reuters Connect

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) handily defeated a field of Republican challengers on Tuesday, securing the GOP nomination for a fifth Senate term and delivering a victory for one of Israel’s most outspoken allies in Congress.

Backed by US President Donald Trump and much of South Carolina’s Republican establishment, Graham won the primary outright, avoiding a runoff. He received 56.8 percent of the vote, compared with 28.9 percent for businessman Mark Lynch and 5.2 percent for Thomas Dismukes.

The result came despite efforts by Graham’s challengers to attack him from the right over his long tenure in Washington and his support for an assertive US role overseas.

Lynch centered much of his campaign on criticism of Graham’s foreign policy views, including his strong support for Israel and backing for military action against Iran. He depicted the incumbent senator as a warmonger more focused on foreign conflicts than on South Carolina voters.

“People are tired of him getting [the United States] into endless, needless wars,” Lynch said in an interview.

Lynch also drew support from prominent figures who have been critical of Israel and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the leading pro-Israel advocacy group in Washington.

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who resigned from Congress earlier this year, and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who recently lost his own Republican primary, both supported Lynch. Greene and Massie have accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza and have sharply criticized AIPAC’s influence in Republican politics.

Trump played a significant role in the race, endorsing Graham and urging Republicans to support the incumbent senator.

Trump also attacked Lynch on social media, calling him a “lunatic” and saying he supported “perhaps the worst congressman in the history of our country,” a reference to Massie.

“Mark Lynch would be a DISASTER for the Republican Party, and Lindsey Graham just GETS THE JOB DONE,” Trump wrote.

The endorsement reinforced Graham’s standing among Republican voters and highlighted the political partnership that has developed between Trump and Graham in recent years.

Graham has been among the Senate’s most vocal supporters of Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian-backed terrorist groups. He has repeatedly argued that a strong US commitment to Israel is essential to American national security and stability in the Middle East.

His primary victory suggests that many South Carolina Republicans continue to support that message despite growing isolationist sentiment in parts of the Republican Party.

Paul Dans, a former Trump administration official and Project 2025 architect, dropped his primary challenge to Graham in April and endorsed Lynch. Dans had received support from conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, an outspoken critic of US support for Israel.

Lynch also appeared on Megyn Kelly’s podcast, where he called Graham a “traitor” to the country.

Graham will now face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in November. Political analysts continue to view South Carolina as strongly Republican territory, and Graham enters the general election as the heavy favorite.

For supporters of Israel, Graham’s victory preserves one of the most influential pro-Israel voices in the Senate. As debates continue over Iran, military aid to Israel, and America’s role in the Middle East, Graham is expected to remain a leading advocate for close US-Israel cooperation and a tough stance toward Tehran.