Former Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy has been out of elected office for years, but South Carolina voters apparently have not forgotten him. A new poll of likely Republican primary voters found Gowdy holding a wide lead in the race for the Senate seat left open by the recent death of Sen. Lindsey Graham. Gowdy represented […]

Former Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy has been out of elected office for years, but South Carolina voters apparently have not forgotten him.

A new poll of likely Republican primary voters found Gowdy holding a wide lead in the race for the Senate seat left open by the recent death of Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Gowdy represented South Carolina in the House from 2011 until 2019. Since leaving Congress, he has worked as a Fox News host and has shown little interest in returning to Washington. That has not stopped fellow Republicans from publicly praising him as a possible candidate.

“Trey would be an amazing senator for South Carolina,” Republican Sen. Tim Scott recently said.

Voters surveyed by Peak Insights appeared to agree. The poll found Gowdy receiving 38 percent support in a hypothetical Republican primary, putting him well ahead of every other name included in the survey.

Rep. Ralph Norman finished a distant second with 13 percent. Rep. Russell Fry and newly appointed Sen. Darline Graham Nordone each received 9 percent.

Businessman Mark Lynch drew 7 percent, while Rep. Nancy Mace received 6 percent.

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The poll surveyed 900 likely Republican primary voters between July 18 and July 20. It had a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. South Carolina’s special Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 11.

Nordone, Graham’s younger sister, was appointed to temporarily fill the seat after her brother died July 11 following a sudden illness. She has since announced that she will run for a full six-year term.

President Donald Trump encouraged South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to appoint Nordone and has backed her campaign. Trump described the appointment as a fitting tribute to Graham, who served in Congress for more than three decades.

Peak Insights also asked voters how Trump’s endorsement would affect their choice.

Gowdy remained in first place with 35 percent support, although his share dropped slightly. Nordone gained seven percentage points, moving from 9 percent to 16 percent and taking second place.

The change suggests Trump’s support could give Nordone a meaningful boost, but it was not enough in this poll to erase Gowdy’s commanding advantage.

There is one major complication: Gowdy is not running.

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A representative for the former congressman said he “has not had any conversations about the open Senate seat and does not have any interest in it.”

That leaves South Carolina Republicans with an unusual situation. The person leading the poll is not an active candidate, while the person with Trump’s endorsement is still working to introduce herself to voters.

Gowdy built a strong following during his four terms in the House, where he became known for his aggressive questioning during congressional hearings. His national profile grew during his time as chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi and later as chairman of the House Oversight Committee.

Even after leaving office, Gowdy remained visible through his television work. That recognition likely explains why he performed so well in a poll conducted only days after the Senate seat suddenly became available.

Nordone enters the race with a different set of advantages. She carries a familiar family name, has Trump’s support, and is already serving in the Senate on an interim basis.

Trump praised her in a recent social media post, calling her a “spectacular person” and a “true American Patriot.” He also said there was no one better suited to honor her brother’s legacy.

“Lindsey was one of the greatest people, and Senators I have ever known, and his sister shares his deep love of our Country, and the State of South Carolina,” Trump wrote.

He added that Nordone came from an “absolutely incredible family” and had his “Complete and Total Endorsement” in the special election.

The poll does not necessarily predict what will happen on Aug. 11. The field is still taking shape, and Gowdy’s refusal to run means his supporters will eventually have to choose someone else.

The Western Journal