This week’s SCGOP debates in South Carolina’s special U.S. Senate primary drew a sharp contrast among the leading candidates, both in style and substance. Congressman Russell Fry, who represents South Carolina’s Seventh Congressional District, stood above the field.
Fry was poised, calm, and direct as he made his case to become South Carolina’s next U.S. senator. His message to voters was simple: elect a fighter for President Trump’s agenda on August 11.
“I am the ONLY candidate who has a record of sticking with President Trump through and through. South Carolina is ready for someone to fight for Trump’s agenda and for our values.”
The stakes in this election are high. South Carolina needs a conservative warrior in the U.S. Senate, and I believe that candidate is Russell Fry. Early voting begins August 5, 2026, and Election Day is August 11. Republicans should make a plan to vote and nominate Fry to represent our party in the November general election.
Why this special primary matters
Special elections often draw low turnout, but that makes every vote more important. Voters who stay home will surrender their voice in choosing the Republican nominee. Plato is often credited with saying, “One of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” Whatever your preferred candidate, make your voice heard on August 11.
The Republican field includes Duke Buckner, Danny Ford II, Russell Fry, Darline Graham, Mark Lynch, Mark McBride, Ralph Norman, Glenda Gail Parker, Mark Sanford, and Sam Shepherd. In a crowded race, voters must look beyond campaign slogans and examine each candidate’s record.
That is where Fry separates himself.
A conservative record voters can measure
Fry has established himself as a strong conservative in the U.S. House, and his voting record closely reflects the priorities of President Trump and the America First agenda.
His Heritage Action conservative score was 100 percent in the 119th Congress and 93 percent in the 118th Congress, giving him a reported lifetime score of 97 percent. His Club for Growth scores were 100 percent in 2025, 93 percent in 2024, and 100 percent in 2023, with a reported lifetime score of 98 percent. The organization has also recognized him multiple times as a “Defender of Economic Freedom.”
Those scores are more than numbers on a campaign flyer. They measure votes involving limited government, fiscal restraint, deregulation, domestic energy production, border security, and opposition to runaway federal spending and regulation. These are areas in which Fry’s record and President Trump’s priorities consistently overlap.
Other candidates may claim to support the Trump agenda, but Fry has a congressional record that voters can examine. President Trump previously endorsed him for Congress, and Fry defeated former Congressman Tom Rice after Rice voted to impeach Trump. Fry did not discover the America First movement when a Senate seat became available. He stood with it when his own name was on the line.
The general election cannot be taken for granted
South Carolina is a conservative state, but Republicans should not assume that any nominee can win simply by having an “R” beside his or her name. A nominee who cannot unite the party could open the door for Democratic candidate Dr. Annie Andrews.
Fry addressed that danger directly:
“Annie Andrews is no joke. If you elect the wrong nominee, we’re going to have problems in the General Election. This is a Republican state, but it doesn’t have to be if you send the wrong nominee; it will not be. This is a fight for the future. She’s got $7 million in the bank, and we need a nominee who can go toe to toe with her.”
Republicans need a nominee who can unite conservatives, raise the resources required for a statewide campaign, and make a clear case to voters in November. Fry has shown that he can fight for conservative principles without losing sight of the need to build a winning coalition.
The issues facing South Carolina
This election also gives South Carolina the opportunity to choose a leader who can carry the conservative movement into the next generation. That matters because the state and the nation face serious challenges that cannot be addressed with slogans alone.
Economic relief and opportunity
South Carolina families and small businesses continue to feel the effects of inflation and high costs. Washington must restore discipline to federal spending, make tax relief permanent for working families and small businesses, reduce unnecessary regulations, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and expand economic opportunities across South Carolina.
Fry’s record shows that he understands economic growth begins with letting families keep more of what they earn and allowing businesses to invest, hire, and compete without Washington standing in the way.
Affordable and dependable American energy
The United States must continue expanding domestic energy production, streamlining permitting, and reducing its dependence on hostile nations. Fry has supported legislation promoting American oil, natural gas, and mineral production. Reliable domestic energy is not merely an industry issue; it affects household utility bills, transportation costs, manufacturing, national security, and the price of nearly everything families buy.
Border and national security
Securing the southern border and enforcing immigration law are essential responsibilities of the federal government. The country must also be relentless in combating human trafficking, which harms communities along the border and throughout the nation.
Fry has supported defense legislation and measures aimed at restoring Trump-era border policies. His work on the House Judiciary Committee has also placed him directly in debates involving immigration enforcement, crime, constitutional rights, and government accountability.
Traditional conservative values
Fry has defended religious liberty, parental rights, the Second Amendment, the sanctity of life, law enforcement, and the constitutional limits placed on government. These principles are not relics of the past. They remain central to strong families, safe communities, and a free country.
Accountability in Washington
Let’s face it: the U.S. Senate is largely dysfunctional. South Carolina needs a senator willing to challenge unelected bureaucrats, expose federal overreach, confront reckless spending, and insist that government serve its citizens instead of trying to control every part of their lives.
The state does not need another candidate who campaigns as a conservative and then governs differently. Voters are rightly wary of selective conservatism—the kind that appears during campaign season and disappears when pressure arrives in Washington. Fry’s record gives voters confidence that he knows both when to negotiate and when to stand firm on principle.
The Fry record: conservative principles that produce results
A strong voting record matters, but voters should also ask whether a candidate can turn conservative priorities into results. Fry’s record in Congress shows that he can move legislation. Four bills he sponsored have reportedly become law during his first three years in Congress. By comparison, his campaign argues that opponent Ralph Norman has had one sponsored bill become law during nine years in Congress.
Fry’s legislative work includes the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act, signed into law in January 2026. He also advanced the Kayla Hamilton Act through the House to address weaknesses in the handling of unaccompanied migrant children. Working with Senator Lindsey Graham, Fry introduced Logan’s Law to address a loophole involving repeat violent offenders.
His office has reported returning $15 million to constituents through federal casework since he entered Congress. He also helped secure $13.9 million in announced federal funding for infrastructure and public-safety projects in the Seventh District.
Fry’s service on the House Judiciary Committee has given him valuable experience on many of the issues a senator must confront immigration, crime, constitutional rights, and government accountability. Just as important, his legislative record shows that he can do more than cast the right vote. He can help move conservative legislation across the finish line.
A proven conservative voice
Russell Fry has been a strong conservative voice for the Grand Strand and Pee Dee in both the South Carolina House and the U.S. House. He has delivered measurable results and shown that he is prepared to take those same principles to the United States Senate.
Early voting begins August 5. Vote early or make a firm plan to vote on August 11. Encourage friends and family who voted in the recent gubernatorial primary or runoff to return to the polls. Turnout in a special primary will likely be low, which means each vote will carry even more weight.
South Carolina needs a conservative warrior who can get results. We do not need a senator who simply talks like a conservative or points to a voting score while producing little meaningful legislation. We need someone who can advance President Trump’s agenda, protect our shared values, and deliver results for the people of South Carolina.
That candidate is Russell Fry.
Drew Johnson
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