Sen.Darline Graham defeated Rep.
Ralph Norman in South Carolina’s Republican primary runoff, NBC News projects, a victory for President Donald Trump, who recruited, endorsed and campaigned for her following her brother Lindsey Graham’s death six weeks ago.Trump went all in for Graham, who is seeking a full six-year term after she was appointed to the seat by Gov.Henry McMaster.
The president held an in-person rally for her Friday in Myrtle Beach and a tele-rally on Monday evening, and his allied super PAC made a late $830,000 push to boost her.During the Friday rally, Trump recounted how he asked her to run “because everyone loves her, everyone respects her.” He also said he’s supporting her to “honor Lindsey,” who had been one of his closest allies in Washington.
“She only knows how to put America first,” Trump told the crowd.“You vote for her, you’re going to be very proud of that vote.”Sen.
Darline Graham R-S.C., during a campaign event at Holt Bros BBQ, in Florence, S.C., on Aug.19, 2026.Sean Rayford / Getty ImagesGraham, 62, will now face Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the November general election, and is the heavy favorite in the deep-red state where her brother served in the Senate and House for more than 30 years.
To beat Norman, who’s spent nearly a decade in Congress, Graham had to overcome GOP attacks of nepotism and inexperience.She had never held or run for elected office before, though she did lead a 130-person state agency that helped blind people.
In the initial primary earlier this month, Graham finished first with 33% of the vote, short of the 50% needed to avoid a runoff.And the final week of the truncated, two-week runoff campaign was dominated by Graham’s blunder at a debate with Norman where she replied that she was “not that informed on national security” when asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea were important national security priorities.“National security is not my thing,” she ...