By admin 
Two of South Carolina’s top two elected Republicans, and arguably party leaders, have yet to formally back a candidate in the contest to replace the late Lindsey Graham on the November ballot for Senate.
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Gov. Henry McMaster and Attorney General Alan Wilson, the party’s nominee for governor in the fall, have not endorsed in the race. It’s unclear whether McMaster will, and Wilson has indicated he won’t formally back a candidate before the runoff.
U.S. Sen. Darline Graham and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, the two top vote getters in the special primary, will compete for the Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate in a runoff Aug. 25. The winner will face Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews in November.
“We have two great candidates, two people I have a lot of respect for that are currently in this runoff for the U.S. Senate. And I look forward to working with whoever the people of South Carolina select to be the nominee on the ballot in November for the U.S. Senate,” Wilson said in a brief interview at the SC GOP’s annual Silver Elephant gala.
Wilson has been a host at SC GOP stump events where candidates made their pitches to voters. He also just went through his own bruising primary to win the nomination for governor. He has been repeating a message that the Republican Party in the state is a big family that sometimes has fights but needs to come back together.
He added he’s focused on being the party leader to help repair relationships after another primary and going into the fall general election.
“My 100% focus is on preparing for November, building the victory operation for the Republican Party in South Carolina, try to build as broad a coalition as I possibly can. Trying to do everything I can to continue repairing the bridges from the primary season,” Wilson said.
It’s unclear whether McMaster, who appointed Darline Graham to finish her brother’s term, will endorse in the nomination fight. But Darline Graham is endorsed by President Donald Trump who has a good relationship with McMaster. She also has the backing of Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, and GOP Commissioner of Agriculture nominee Cody Simpson.
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Evette was picked by McMaster to be his lieutenant governor and Simpson previously worked as McMaster’s chief executive assistant and agriculture advisor.
After voting in the Aug. 11 primary, McMaster told reporters he wanted “somebody who’s serious, somebody that understands, somebody who’s willing to ask questions, someone who’s willing to listen to the advice from the right sources, not necessarily to agree but to think.”
He declined to tell reporters who he supported in the special Republican primary, but at the time the governor did not rule out the possibility of endorsing in the runoff.
Trump, who is scheduled to campaign in-person for Graham in Myrtle Beach Friday evening, has been pushing for additional endorsements, according to media reports.
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, U.S. Rep. William Timmons and House Speaker Murrell Smith have endorsed Graham, according to her campaign. U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, who finished third in the special primary, also endorsed Graham after the runoff.
Norman has been endorsed by members of the state House Freedom Caucus, former Gov. Nikki Haley and fifth-place primary finisher Mark Lynch. He has received the backing of state Treasurer Curtis Loftis, U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace and members of the hard-line conservative South Carolina House Freedom Caucus.
National anti-abortion groups have also somewhat split in their support for Graham and Norman. National Right to Life, South Carolina Citizens for Life and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America have endorsed Graham, while Norman has backing from Students for Life Action and Vote Pro-Life.
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Reporter Sammy Fretwell contributed to this article.