U.S. Sen. Darline Graham won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, according to a race call by the Associated Press, defeating U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman in Tuesday’s special Republican primary runoff. Graham will now face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the November general election. Additional candidates in the general election include Libertarian Kasie Whitener and the Constitution Party’s Mark Hackett.
Darline Graham Secures GOP Nomination for U.S. Senate
The special election was initiated following the sudden death of Graham’s brother, longtime Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died the night of July 11 from a preliminarily identified heart condition involving a tear in the aorta due to the hardening of the arteries. Following his death, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve out the remaining months of her late brother’s current term.
President Trump and Super PAC Backing
President Donald Trump went all in for Graham, recruiting, endorsing, and campaigning for her after her brother’s death. Trump held an in-person rally for her in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and a tele-rally on a Monday evening. Trump’s allied super PAC, MAGA Inc., spent more than $827,000 on behalf of Graham, including an infusion of nearly $830,000 in the final week for voter calls and text message blasts.
Overcoming Inexperience and Debate Stumble
To secure the nomination, Graham had to overcome attacks regarding nepotism and inexperience from opponents. Having never held or run for elected office before, Graham faced a crowded initial field in the 10-way primary earlier in the month, where she finished first with 33% of the vote before advancing to the runoff against Norman.
The final week of the truncated runoff campaign was heavily influenced by a moment during the single hourlong candidate debate hosted by NewsMax, where Graham struggled when asked a question about the significance of Taiwan and the South China Sea. I’m just going to be honest here,
Graham said during the exchange. I’m not that informed on national security.
When pressed further, she added, National security is not my thing,
prompting boos from the audience and providing a focal point for Norman to question her qualifications.
Norman’s Campaign and Congressional Experience
Rep. Ralph Norman leaned heavily on his extensive political background during the race, highlighting his nearly a decade in Congress as a five-term House member and member of the House Freedom Caucus. Norman previously ran for South Carolina governor earlier in the year, finishing in third place. During the closing week of the Senate campaign, Norman put more than $1 million of his own developer fortune toward his run.
While Graham secured endorsements from prominent figures including Gov. Henry McMaster and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, Norman was backed by former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Rep. Nancy Mace, former Gov. Mark Sanford, and former Sen. Jim DeMint.
