Polling Average
60%50%40%30%20%10%0%
12.8%
51.3%
10.0%
Republican
Paul Dans
South Carolina Republican Senate nominee?
$737.0K
JUN 10, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleAttorney
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
GenderMale
LocationSouth Carolina
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BackgroundAttorney
EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology (BS)
Notable personal detailsPaul Edouard Dans is an American lawyer and Republican political operative who served in the Trump administration, including as White House liaison and senior adviser at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. He later became director of the Heritage Foundation’s 2025 Presidential Transition Project (Project 2025). Dans ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in South Carolina in the 2026 cycle, challenging incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham, and later withdrew from the race.
SourcesShowHide
fec.govapnews.comheritage.orgen.wikipedia.orgpauldans.compropublica.orgsenate.govdailygamecock.comaxios.comthestate.comthecandidate.comrepublicanleader.senate.govoctagonai.cosenatemajority.comcloudfront.mediamatters.orgscstatehouse.govwashingtonpost.compolitifact.com2025.aksi.colive5news.comtheguardian.comproject2025.orgiheart.comadvocate.comtheweek.inabc11.comspglobal.comnrsc.orgnewsweek.comupi.comyahoo.comwistv.comms.nowvoterguide.ballotpedia.orglegislation.ballotpedia.orgdeveloper.ballotpedia.orgcdn.ballotpedia.orgpolitico.comwikidata.orghuffman.house.govdocquery.fec.govlofgren.house.govcongress.govdocs.house.govhsgac.senate.govpaul.senate.govscott.senate.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Paul Dans advocates reducing the size and cost of federal government, confronting the national debt, and advancing Project 2025 policy prescriptions that call for substantial tax-code changes including large tax reductions and simplification (e.g., fewer brackets and lower corporate rates). His campaign rhetoric emphasizes cutting spending and ending “endless” government programs. These positions align with a conservative, pro-tax-cut, limited-government economic approach.
Healthcare
Paul Dans, as the lead architect of Project 2025 and now a Senate candidate, advocates policy approaches that reduce the federal role in health programs and expand market-based or state-centered alternatives. Project 2025 — which Dans directed — includes proposals to tighten Medicaid eligibility, offer options to convert Medicaid into vouchers, and reduce federal oversight of health agencies. Dans has also criticized incumbent Lindsey Graham for not supporting "medical freedom," signaling opposition to federal mandates in public health policy.
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Immigration & Border
The candidate is associated with Project 2025, a policy blueprint that calls for dramatically tougher immigration enforcement, including expanded deportations and interior enforcement, curtailing asylum and refugee admissions, and restructuring federal immigration agencies. The Project 2025 materials and reporting describe proposals to expand border barriers and enforcement capacity, end or sharply limit asylum/refugee pathways, and increase removals. These positions indicate an enforcement-first, restrictionist approach to immigration and border policy.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Paul Dans led the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which includes policy proposals to significantly limit access to abortion (for example revoking FDA approval of mifepristone and restricting federal funding and cross-state access). Dans has characterized abortion as primarily a state issue and indicated opposition to federal imposition, while directing a policy project that advances restrictive measures.
Climate & Energy
Paul Dans led the conservative 'Project 2025' initiative and has expressed skepticism that human activity is the cause of climate change. The Project 2025 blueprint he directed calls for repealing major climate and clean‑energy policies, rolling back EPA and DOE authorities, and expanding fossil fuel production and deregulation.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJun 11, 2026
Paul Dans has dropped out of the South Carolina Republican Senate primary against Lindsey Graham. He has endorsed businessman Mark Lynch instead. The move narrows the GOP field ahead of the June primary, while Graham remains backed by Donald Trump and other leading Republicans.
fec.gov+46
Articles
ZZeroHedge2 months ago
Lindsey Graham’s Primary Fight Heats Up
Neutral
PNPBS News2 months ago
Project 2025 author Paul Dans drops primary challenge to Lindsey Graham in South Carolina
Neutral
TAThe Associated Press2 months ago
Project 2025 author Paul Dans drops primary challenge to Lindsey Graham
Neutral
AABC17News.com2 months ago
Project 2025 architect quits South Carolina Senate race and endorses Lindsey Graham challenger
Neutral
Polls
South Carolina Republican Senate nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 2026Total raisedCash on hand
$1.0M
$758.6K
$505.7K
$252.9K
$0
2026
LatestYear
Total raised
Cash on hand
Total spent
Burn rate
Cycle 2026
$1.0M
$446.2K
$565.2K
$37.7K
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements