Mark Lynch Gaining Ground Against Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina Primary
Businessman Mark Lynch appears to be gaining momentum as the South Carolina primary approaches in May, particularly against longtime incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham, according to a new poll shared exclusively with Breitbart News before its official release.
In the initial voting results, Graham secured only 41%, falling short of the 50% threshold, while Lynch received 21%. Another candidate, Paul Dance, stood at 11%, and 22% of voters were undecided.
The polling memo noted, “Lindsey Graham finds himself in a real predicament, as primary voters seem to be leaning heavily toward Trump-backed candidates.” It went on to suggest that once South Carolina Republican voters familiarize themselves with a candidate’s background, they tend to move significantly toward Lynch, who aligns well with President Trump on critical issues like border security. With many voters still undecided, Lynch seems to be well-positioned to claim the nomination and possibly even the seat.
The figures alone should be concerning for establishment candidates. However, when additional information about the candidates was presented, Graham’s position worsened, trailing Lynch by double digits. A poll by Informed Voting indicated Lynch receiving 34% support compared to Graham’s 23%, with Dance at 11% and 26% undecided.
This poll was conducted for Lynch’s campaign by Pulse Opinion Research, adhering to methods approved by the Rasmussen Report. It surveyed 1,000 likely Republican primary voters in South Carolina between March 11 and March 17, with a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Interestingly, President Trump has maintained support for Graham despite some rocky history, enjoying a high approval rate of 72% among respondents, with 41% indicating strong support. Yet, it’s notable that Trump’s endorsement came early in the campaign, and their collaboration has been limited; he previously remarked during the 2016 campaign that Graham couldn’t win even a dog race in South Carolina.
Mark Mitchell, the head of polling at Rasmussen Reports, offered a stark assessment, calling the numbers “embarrassingly bad” for Graham. He emphasized that Lynch possesses a “huge chance” if he closes the race strongly. “I’ve viewed numerous situations like this in the 2026 cycle, and Graham is undoubtedly one of the weakest incumbents I’ve observed,” he stated. “Despite Graham’s name recognition, Lynch is clearly leading in informed voting. This presents a significant opportunity.”
One advantage Lynch holds over Dunnes, another contender, is his financial backing. He has reportedly already spent over $1 million on his campaign and plans to invest at least another $3.5 million leading up to the primary. If the figures from the Rasmussen report hold true, Lynch might have a real chance to shift voter perceptions. Insiders in South Carolina have informed Breitbart News that Graham is taking Lynch’s challenge seriously, launching attack ads against him statewide.
