Trump endorsement boosts Darline Graham across GOP primary finish line
Despite campaign trail missteps, Graham will proceed to November’s midterm election to fill her late brother’s Senate seat for another six years.
A contentious special election in South Carolina is demonstrating that President Donald Trump still commands the loyalty of many Republican voters. Darline Graham, the younger sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, won the Republican primary runoff Tuesday to replace her brother in the U.S. Senate, defeating challenger Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.
Graham was initially chosen by South Carolina’s Republican Governor Henry McMaster to fill her brother’s seat after his unexpected death in July. She was endorsed by Trump to run for a full term representing the state. In Tuesday’s primary runoff, Graham won 52.5% of the vote against Norman’s 47.5%.
Norman credited his loss to outside spending and Trump’s endorsement, questioning why the president involved himself in the race in the first place. “My opponents, the money came from outside PACs,” he said in his concession speech.
“Democrats, they got what they wanted,” Norman continued. “The president got involved, he has that right. His policies are good,” the congressman added, “I never understood why he got involved in this race.”
Graham began her victory speech thanking “the good Lord” for her win before thanking Trump for his endorsement.
“Mr. President, Lindsey truly loved you and viewed you as one of his closest friends,” she said. “I appreciate that bond and appreciate all that you’ve done for our country. Our victory would not have been possible with you and we are truly grateful.”
Graham generated controversy during her campaign by admitting that she was uninformed on several key issues, including her brother’s signature issues of foreign policy and abortion.
“I’m just going to be honest here; I’m not that informed on national security,” she admitted during the primary debate. “I'm not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military.”
When asked if she would support a nationwide pro-life law outlawing abortion, Graham responded, “I don’t know, let me think about it.
In another special election, Democrat Everton Blair was elected in Georgia to finish the term of Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., who passed away earlier this year. Blair previously held a seat on the Gwinnett County School Board and graduated from the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans fellowship program under then-President Barack Obama. In 2019, Blair announced that he identifies as homosexual.
