A powerful name and an endorsement from President Donald Trump proved more than enough to score an unlikely candidate a win in the latest runoff election in South Carolina.Sen.Darline Graham, R-S.C., toppled Rep.
Ralph Norman, R-S.C., in a whirlwind race to replace her brother, the late Sen.Lindsey Graham, as the GOP nominee for the Senate after his sudden death in July.Just a little over a month after his death at 71 years old, South Carolinians opted to stick with a familiar name in Graham, who despite having little political experience prior to her appointment to finish out the remainder of her brother’s term, scored Trump’s coveted endorsement.DARLINE GRAHAM FACES MAKE-OR-BREAK GOP RUNOFF IN HISTORIC BID TO KEEP BROTHER’S SENATE SEATSen.
Darline Graham, R-S.C., listens to a question at a campaign event at Holt Bros BBQ in Florence, S.C., on Aug.19, 2026.
(Sean Rayford/Getty Images)Though her appointment by South Carolina Gov.Henry McMaster was viewed as temporary, Trump pushed her to run beyond the five months left in her brother’s term."Darline is somebody I've known for a long time," Trump said during a rally for her in Myrtle Beach last week.
"I asked her to do this.I said, ‘Darline, you got to do it,’ because everyone loves her.
Everyone respects her.""So I've known her through Lindsey — I've known her for so long," he continued."I think Lindsey respected Darline more than any other person he knows, including me."LINDSEY GRAHAM’S SISTER ADMITS SHE’S ‘NOT THAT INFORMED ON NATIONAL SECURITY’ WHILE SEEKING FULL SENATE TERMAnd Trump sent in last-minute financial reinforcements to help her, following a gaffe during her final debate with Norman when she admitted that she had little knowledge of the strategic importance of Taiwan.Graham has styled herself as a much different politician than her brother, focused more on domestic issues than foreign.Trump's mammoth, $400 million campaign war chest through MAGA Inc., which has largely been ...