Architect of Authoritarian Project 2025 Bails on GOP Primary Against Lindsey Graham

Paul Dans, the architect of the Heritage Foundation’s dangerous Project 2025 plan to dismantle federal agencies and install authoritarian governance, has abruptly ended his primary campaign against South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. Dans announced the decision on social media Friday, endorsing another far-right candidate, businessman Mark Lynch, who is self-funding his bid with millions of dollars.

Dans, who launched his campaign last year branding Graham a “swamp critter,” struggled to gain traction and fundraising momentum. His campaign raised a paltry $630,000 in 2025 compared to Graham’s overwhelming $19 million war chest. Despite a high-profile endorsement from Fox commentator Tucker Carlson, Dans conceded that Lynch “has the resources to make that happen” in unseating Graham.

This development exposes the volatile infighting within the Republican Party’s MAGA wing. Lynch claims to be a true “America First” conservative aligned with Trump’s movement, while Graham, despite his checkered record, secured Trump’s endorsement. Trump slammed Lynch as a “lunatic” on Truth Social, warning that Lynch would be a “DISASTER for the Republican Party” and praising Graham as someone who “GETS THE JOB DONE.”

The bitter contest reflects the broader battle over the GOP’s future identity as it grapples with the authoritarian blueprint of Project 2025. That plan, which Dans helped shape, calls for politicizing federal agencies, purging the civil service, and undermining democratic norms. Yet even among Republicans who champion Trump’s agenda, there is no consensus on who should lead the charge.

With the South Carolina primary set for June 9, the question remains whether Graham’s establishment-backed campaign or Lynch’s self-funded insurgency will prevail. Dans’ withdrawal and endorsement of Lynch underscores the fractured state of the GOP and the ongoing struggle to define the party’s direction in the post-Trump era.

As the fight unfolds, the stakes are clear: the future of American democracy hangs in the balance as the forces behind Project 2025 seek to reshape government in their authoritarian image. We will keep tracking these developments and the key players who threaten democratic accountability.