The race to become the Republican nominee for South Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat accelerated Monday after President Donald Trump publicly praised Rep. Russell Fry, suggesting the second-term congressman could emerge as the early favorite to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Speaking Monday on Newsmax's "Greg Kelly Reports," Trump offered his strongest endorsement yet of Fry, who is widely expected to enter the special Republican primary following Graham's sudden death.

"I think Russell Fry, a young congressman, is outstanding, and I could see that happening," Trump told Newsmax. "I think he's a very, very talented person. He's doing much better than the person that preceded him."

Trump also pointed to Fry's standing among South Carolina Republicans.

"He's been very popular in the state, so I think a name like Russell Fry is somebody you can watch out for, and there are probably some others," the president said.

The president also noted that Gov. Henry McMaster's appointment of Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to the Senate is only temporary.

"I believe the sister is there only on an interim basis, however," Trump said.

Trump's comments came just days after sources within the South Carolina Republican Party told Newsmax that Fry had been in contact with the White House and was likely to receive the president's backing should he enter the Aug. 11 special Republican primary. 

Those sources said Fry had privately discussed the race with Trump and had been encouraged to consider a campaign.

The public endorsement on Newsmax is expected to reshape what had already become a closely watched Republican contest.

"Russell would be an excellent candidate," former Rep. John Napier, R-S.C., told Newsmax, pointing to Fry's conservative credentials and strong ties to Trump.

At 41, Fry has quickly risen through the Republican ranks. A former member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, he gained national attention in 2022 when he defeated five-term incumbent Rep. Tom Rice in the Republican primary.

Rice had become one of only 10 House Republicans to vote for Trump's impeachment following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol protest, a decision that drew Trump's intense criticism and helped make Rice one of the president's top primary targets. 

Backed by Trump's endorsement, Fry won convincingly and has since established himself as a reliable supporter of the president's legislative agenda in Congress.

Axios reported Monday that Fry has become a favorite among several Trump advisers, who cite his fundraising ability, political discipline, and the fact that he currently represents a safely Republican House district.

Other prominent Republicans are also weighing bids. Reps. Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace, both of whom unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor earlier this year, are exploring Senate campaigns and could enter during the filing period from July 21-28.

Both lawmakers possess greater statewide name recognition than Fry, but many South Carolina Republicans believe a Trump endorsement would carry enormous weight in what is expected to be a compressed and highly competitive primary campaign. 

If no candidate wins a majority on Aug. 11, the top two finishers would advance to an Aug. 25 runoff.

Should Fry capture the Senate nomination, he would be expected to halt his House campaign for reelection, triggering a special Republican primary to select a new GOP nominee in South Carolina's strongly Republican 7th Congressional District.

Before his death, Graham had been preparing for what analysts expected to be a competitive general election against Democrat Annie Andrews. 

An Impact Research poll conducted last month showed Graham leading Andrews by just 48% to 45% among likely voters, underscoring the political significance of the race despite South Carolina's Republican lean. 

Trump's early embrace of Fry now gives the congressman significant momentum as Republicans begin the contest to succeed one of the Senate's longest-serving conservative voices.

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.