Trump endorsement boosts sister of late Lindsey Graham to historic runoff victory
Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, won the South Carolina GOP Senate runoff against Rep. Ralph Norman, propelled by President Trump's endorsement and a last-minute campaign blitz.
Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, has secured the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, defeating Rep. Ralph Norman in a runoff election that capped a whirlwind campaign defined by a powerful family name and a decisive endorsement from President Donald Trump. The victory sets up Graham to serve the remainder of her brother's term, which was cut short by his sudden death in July at age 71.
Graham, who was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster to temporarily fill the seat, overcame her status as a political newcomer after Trump urged her to seek a full term. During a rally in Myrtle Beach last week, the president framed the race as a personal mission, saying he had known Graham for years through her brother and that he asked her to run because "everyone loves her" and "everyone respects her." Trump also noted that Lindsey Graham respected his sister more than anyone else he knew.
The endorsement came with financial muscle. MAGA Inc., the president's political action committee, poured more than $800,000 into a phone campaign supporting Graham over the weekend, according to campaign finance records. The infusion was part of a broader effort to shore up her candidacy after a debate gaffe in which she admitted she was not well informed on the strategic importance of Taiwan. Graham has since styled herself as a domestic-focused candidate, a deliberate contrast to her brother's emphasis on foreign policy.
Despite her limited time in Washington, Graham argued that her record already surpassed Norman's. She pointed to the passage of the bipartisan Russia and Iran Sanctions Act, a measure initially pushed by her brother, and her vote to confirm Attorney General Todd Blanche. "Simply put, I've done more in 20 days than Ralph Norman has done in 20 years," she said during the campaign. She also cast Norman as a problem for the party, telling voters, "We already have enough problem Democrats, we don't need a problem Republican."
Norman, who had suggested during the race that Graham was the establishment's chosen candidate, conceded Tuesday evening and pledged to support her in the general election. "As I said earlier, I'm going to support the Republican. I'm not supporting a Democrat. So, I will support her — Darline — as best I can," he said. The runoff was historic in its speed, coming just over a month after Lindsey Graham's death, and in its outcome, as voters opted to keep a familiar name in the seat.
