The Senate has passed a punishing Russian sanctions bill that was a top priority for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., held her first campaign event Monday morning. The special Senate Republican primary is on Tuesday, which will decide who replaces her brother and former Sen. Lindsey Graham on November’s ballot. Sen. Darline Graham spoke one-on-one with voters at a restaurant in Columbia.

The bill is meant to stifle Russia's economy by allowing for tough new tariffs against major importers of Russian energy. The legislation was led by Lindsey Graham before his unexpected death in July.

A measure to impose new sanctions on Russian oil purchasers easily cleared the Senate and heads to the House.

The legislation is part of a deal reached by senators aimed at helping Ukraine by cutting off funds for “Putin’s war machine.”

The Senate on Friday passed a major Russia sanctions bill, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who played a key role in the painstaking negotiations over the legislation that lasted over a year.

South Carolina Republicans are locked in a tight matchup in the race to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham in the U.S. Senate, with the special primary election set for Tuesday. Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC),