Trump-endorsed Darline Graham faces runoff test against Rep. Ralph Norman in South Carolina Senate race
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Incumbent Darline Graham, appointed to fill her late brother’s Senate seat, will contest a Aug. 25 Republican runoff against Rep. Ralph Norman, with analysts calling the contest a toss-up and noting low expected turnout.
South Carolina voters will decide on Aug. 25 whether appointed incumbent Darline Graham can retain the Senate seat she was given after her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, died in July. Graham, a 62-year-old former optician with no prior elected office, secured the Republican nomination in a Aug. 11 special primary with about 33% of the vote, advancing to a runoff against hard-line conservative Rep. Ralph Norman, who earned just under 25%.
Graham’s campaign is backed by President Donald Trump, who has urged supporters to treat his endorsement as a ballot presence and to turn out in the runoff. "So what I really want you to do is pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot. Just come and vote," Trump said at a rally in Myrtle Beach.
During an Aug. 18 debate, Graham admitted she is not well-versed in national-security issues, stating, "National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military." Political analysts said the remark may have narrowed her advantage. "Graham has had a weak finish to the race, thanks to her comments about not knowing much about foreign policy," noted Kyle Kondik of Sabato’s Crystal Ball.
Experts described the runoff as a "toss-up." University of South Carolina political-science professor Kirk Randazzo said the race is now "much closer than expected" and gave Norman a slight edge. Furman University professor Danielle Vinson warned that voter fatigue could depress turnout, noting that only about 11% of registered Republicans voted in the initial primary.
Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, has positioned himself as a staunch Trump ally, while Graham relies heavily on her family name and the former president’s endorsement. The winner will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a physician, in the November general election.