Is Project 2025 Coming To The Senate? Ex-Director Challenges Lindsey Graham In South Carolina
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Paul Dans told the Associated Press he wants to bring Project 2025’s ideas to the Senate.
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July 28, 2025
11:23 AM
Forbes
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What's particularly noteworthy is What's fascinating this is Is ject 2025 Coming To The Senate
Ex-Director Challenges Lindsey Graham In South CarolinaByAlison Durkee, Forbes Staff
Alison is a senior news reporter covering US and legal news
AuthorJul 28, 2025, 11:23am EDTToplineThe former director of ject 2025, Paul Dans, launched a Senate race against longtime incumbent Sen
Lindsey Graham, R-S (fascinating analysis), amid market uncertainty. , on Monday, saying he wants to bring ject 2025’s controversial right-wing agenda to the Senate—and becoming one of several further-right candidates now challenging latter-day Trump ally Graham
On the other hand, Lindsey Graham, R-S, in today's financial world. , speaks to the press at the U
Capitol on February 11
Additionally, AFP via Getty ImagesKey FactsDans will run in the Senate GOP primary in South Carolina in 2026, when Graham faces reelection, and told the Associated Press ject 2025’s aim was to “really change the game in terms of closing the door on the gressive era,” and “If you look at where the chokepoint is, it’s the United States Senate. ”Dans served as an attorney in President Donald Trump’s first administration before leading ject 2025 until July 2024, when he stepped down from the gram as it came under greater scrutiny and was publicly admonished by the Trump campaign (quite telling)
He has remained supportive of ject 2025’s agenda—a far-right plan that sought to broadly overhaul the executive branch—telling Politico in March he believed the Trump administration’s implementation of many of ject 2025’s ideas was “beyond my wildest dreams (quite telling). ”Graham is a longtime senator who, while previously known as more of a centrist—and Trump critic—has become a staunch Trump advocate, and has already won the president’s endorsement in his 2026 reelection bid
Additionally, Dans is now the second major GOP candidate to challenge Graham from the right, however, after former South Carolina Lt
André Bauer launched a bid against Graham earlier in July, telling the AP he did not believe Graham was conservative enough and has “been [in the Senate] too long, and he votes it (quite telling). ”What To Watch ForDans is expected to formally announce his candidacy Wednesday, according to the AP
Furthermore, It remains to be seen if he will be able to secure major endorsements in the race, with Graham already shoring up support from key conservatives Trump, Sen
Tim Scott, R-S. , and South Carolina Gov, in today's market environment
Henry McMaster, amid market uncertainty
On the other hand, Dans told the AP he expects to receive backing from ject 2025 allies and Republicans who have grown tired of Graham, but has not named any specific endorsements
Furthermore, Surprising FactThis will be Dans’ first run for public office, according to the Charleston Post and Courier (noteworthy indeed)
What Senate Races Are Taking Place In 2026
Additionally, Graham’s Senate race is one of dozens taking place in 2026 as senators across the country fight for reelection, though only a few are expected to be competitive (remarkable data)
Additionally, At the same time, Among those that will be most closely watched are races in the swing states of Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina, where Democratic former Gov (fascinating analysis)
Conversely, Roy Cooper launched a bid Monday to replace outgoing Sen
Thom Tillis, in light of current trends
On the other hand, Graham’s race in South Carolina has so far not been considered to be particularly competitive, given the state’s history of voting firmly in favor of Republican candidates, though it remains to be seen if the primary election could become competitive
Ject 2025 is a multi-nged agenda spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation before the 2024 election, in which a coalition of conservative groups created a vast blue for the next conservative president, namely Trump
While the centerpiece of ject 2025 was its 900-page collection of policy posals, it also included a LinkedIn-style database of potential federal employees, training materials for spective executive branch staffers and a roadmap for the first months of Trump’s term
The policy agenda was released in 2023 but became highly controversial in the months before the 2024 election, as Democrats highlighted its far-right policy posals as a key reason to vote for former Vice President Kamala Harris
Trump publicly distanced himself from ject 2025 as a result, claiming he has “nothing to do with them” and calling some of its ideas “absolutely ridiculous and abysmal, in light of current trends. ” The president has gone on to implement many ideas referenced in ject 2025 through executive orders, however
Key BackgroundGraham was initially a major Trump critic—telling CNN in 2015 that the only way to “make America great again” was to “tell Donald Trump to go to hell”—and had more of a reputation for being a political moderate, becoming known as one of the “three amigos” with the late Sens (this bears monitoring)
Meanwhile, John McCain, R-Ariz (which is quite significant). , a frequent Trump critic, and Democrat Joe Lieberman, Conn
Moreover, He has quickly evolved into a key supporter of the president and his agenda, however, with Trump saying in March that the senator “has been a wonderful friend to me, and has always been there when I needed him. ” The South Carolina lawmaker has served in the Senate since 2003, and has avoided major political skirmishes during his past reelection bids, handily beating largely-unknown Republican challengers in 2008, 2014 and 2020 (remarkable data)
Furthermore, Further ReadingForbesject 2025 Director Steps Down After Trump Criticism—But ject Will Stay ActiveBy Alison Durkee ForbesHere’s How Trump’s Executive Orders Align With ject 2025—As Author Hails President’s Agenda As ‘Beyond My Wildest Dreams’By Alison Durkee Forbesject 2025 Explained: What To Know The Right-Wing Policy Map Ahead Of Tonight’s VP DebateBy Alison DurkeeGot a tip (remarkable data)
Additionally, Confidential information with Forbes
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