Nine Republican candidates vying to permanently fill late Sen.Lindsey Graham's Senate seat spoke directly to voters Saturday at an event in Florence County, South Carolina, where they addressed the war with Iran, the rising tide of socialism in the Democratic Party and potential privacy concerns around Flock cameras.The event was hosted by Alan Wilson, South Carolina's Republican gubernatorial nominee, who pitched the gathering a kind of "speed dating," since each candidate was given six minutes to address the crowd.The special Republican Senate primary is coming up on Aug.
11, which made Saturday's event one of the last chances for the candidates to make their closing arguments to voters.Here's what they chose to focus on in their elevator pitches.REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP, JUMP INTO SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE RACE DESPITE HIS HANDPICKED SUCCESSORSen.Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., hugs his sister Darline Graham on stage as he announces his presidential campaign on June 1, 2015.
(Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)Sen.Darline Graham — who was chosen to finish out her brother's term after his death in July — was the last to speak but was quick to tell attendees that she intended to earn their votes."I'm not a politician.
I never wanted to be a politician.But like Lindsey, I have a servant's heart.
I am a hard worker.And yes, I have President Trump's endorsement, but I know I have to earn your votes," she said at the beginning of her speech.She emphasized that she was not a "DEI" candidate, hyping her experience running the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, a state agency with a $90 million budget and dozens of employees."We help blind people and people with disabilities get jobs so that they don't have to rely on the government.
How is that DEI?" she said.Sen.Darline Graham, R-S.C., makes her way to votes in the U.S.
Capitol on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)TRUMP MAY HAVE ENDORSED DARLINE GRAHAM, BUT GOP SENATE HOPEFULS AREN�...