Senator Darline Graham prevailed in a Republican runoff to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham as the GOP candidate in South Carolina’s US Senate race, a victory aided by heavy support from President Donald Trump.
Ms. Graham, who is temporarily filling the seat long held by her late brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, prevailed in a runoff and will be heavily favored in November.
Darline Graham Nordone has won the South Carolina Republican Senate runoff, defeating Rep. Ralph Norman by 53-47 percent and giving President Donald Trump a huge win on Tuesday. The post Trump-Backed Darline Graham Wins South Carolina Republican Senate Runoff appeared first on Breitbart.
Senator Darline Graham prevailed in a Republican runoff to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham as the GOP candidate in South Carolina’s US Senate race, a victory aided by heavy support from President Donald Trump. Bloomberg's Jon Herskovitz has more. (Source: Bloomberg)
NBC News projects that Graham, who was backed by Trump, defeated Rep. Ralph Norman to replace her late brother on the November ballot.
Sen. Darline Graham, President Trump's endorsed candidate, won the Republican nomination Tuesday to fill the Senate vacancy created by her brother Lindsey Graham's death, per the AP.Why it matters: The victory underscores Trump's continued sway with Republican voters and positions Graham as the odds-on favorite to win a full term in November. Graham, 62, will be heavily favored against Democrat Annie Andrews in November. Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate election in South Carolina since 1998.Driving the news: Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman finished first and second, respectively, in the Aug. 11 primary and advanced to Tuesday's runoff after neither won the majority needed to secure the nomination outright.Graham entered the race July 20, days after Gov. Henry McMaster (R) appointed her to serve temporarily in the seat held by her late brother — her first time holding elected office.Her abbreviated primary campaign benefited from Trump's endorsement, the advantages of incumbency and one of the most recognizable names in South Carolina politics.In addition to campaigning with Graham in South Carolina on Friday, MAGA Inc. made a last-minute push for her, spending more than $827,000 on phone calls and text messages ahead of Tuesday's vote, according to FEC reports.Zoom in: Graham's statement during a runoff debate that she was "not that informed on national security," in response to a question about U.S. policy toward Taiwan, fueled questions about her readiness for the job.It also highlighted the contrast with her late brother, who for decades was a Senate leader on foreign policy and national security matters. Norman posted on X: "South Carolina deserves a Senator who UNDERSTANDS Foreign Policy. I'm a PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH supporter! No more forever wars!"The other side: Norman, 73, argued that Republican voters should judge candidates by their records, presenting himself as a proven conservative rather than a first-time candidate elevated by a famous name.A hard-line conservative, Norman is vice chair of the House Freedom Caucus.In June, Norman placed third in South Carolina's Republican gubernatorial primary, behind Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson, the state's attorney general.Between the lines: Both Graham and Norman flooded the airwaves, spending a combined total of more than $5 million on ads during the primary runoff, according to AdImpact."Stand with President Trump. Vote Darline Graham for Senate," one pro-Graham ad stated, while another accused Norman of being a "career politician.""This election is not for sale," Norman said in one ad. "South Carolina needs a proven conservative with a record of fighting for you. You shouldn't have to guess where your next senator stands. With me, you already know."
South Carolina voters decided to support the incumbent backed by President Donald Trump in the Republican Senate primary runoff election Tuesday. After longtime Sen. Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly in July, the president enthusiastically supported Republican Gov. Henry McMaster appointing Graham's sister, Darline Graham, to finish out the term. President Trump celebrated Graham's win on Truth Social.On Tuesday, Sen. Darline Graham ran in the runoff against 73-year-old Rep. Ralph Norman, a real estate developer and congressman since 2017. With about 91% of expected votes counted, Graham comfortably defeated Norman, 52.4% to 47.6%.President Trump celebrated Graham's win on Truth Social.Polling showed that Norman and Graham were neck-and-neck going into the election despite Trump endorsing Graham. Her campaign also hit a stumbling block when Graham was asked about a foreign policy point during a debate, and she admitted she was not knowledgeable about the subject. "I'm not a polished politician," Graham said at the time. "National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military."She was ridiculed by her detractors but defended her comments in an appearance with Sean Hannity. Sen. Graham will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a physician, in NovemberRELATED: Lindsey Graham's sister appointed to serve out the rest of his term in the Senate Photo by Win McNamee/Getty ImagesTrump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC spent more than $827,000 to support Graham in the runoff. The president had praised Lindsey Graham greatly after his passing. "Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!" Trump wrote in a post on social media. "He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!"Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Trump-endorsed sister of Lindsey Graham now faces Democrat Annie Andrews in general election