President Donald Trump listens to U.S. Sen. Darline Graham during a campaign rally on August 21, 2026 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. President Trump traveled to South Carolina to support Graham ahead of Tuesday’s runoff election against Rep. Ralph Norman.
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Win McNamee/Getty Images North America
COLUMBIA, S.C. —South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham has won the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate, according to a race call by the Associated Press.
Her win came after an endorsement from President Trump, backing her for a full term in the seat formerly held by her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
She beat Rep. Ralph Norman for the nomination in Tuesday’s special election primary runoff after no candidate won the GOP special election primaryoutright earlier this month. She now faces Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in November in the heavily Republican state.
Trump had backed Graham, a political newcomer, as the interim replacement for her brother, who died from a heart condition on July 11 and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve out the remainder of her brother’s term.
Then Trump endorsed Graham to run for a full term.
Trump holds onto primary influence
The race was one of Trump’s biggest bets of the midterm primary cycle, staking Graham against more experienced members of the party establishment.
“I’m doing this to honor Lindsey. That’s why I’m here,” Trump said at a Myrtle Beach rally on Aug. 21. “So, Darline, we got to win that race.”
Graham touted her connection to Trump. “The critics say I shouldn’t run for the Senate. They say I’m not a politician. You know what I say? Guilty as charged,” she said during the rally. “By the way, President Trump has never served in elected office before and I think he’s done a damn good job.”
Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., spent more than $827,000 on behalf of Graham. His PAC wallet has been mostly shut during several close Republican primaries this election cycle.
The president’s support has a mixed record this year, with losses in prominent races in Florida, Georgia, Iowa and Minnesota, among other places. Overall, his endorsement has won more than lost in the primaries, where he can flex his influence with the Republican base.
Ray Saldi, 60, voted for Graham and said the endorsements from officials in support of her were not what solidified the decision. The familiar last name and near-blank political slate pulled him in.
“I really liked her brother, Lindsey Graham. I just wanted to make sure that she’s truly genuine to the people of South Carolina,” he said.
Saldi said he felt Graham would be more willing to put South Carolina above all else.
An abbreviated GOP primary campaign
Despite her lack of political experience, Graham inherited a seasoned campaign machine. Her brother had been in elected office since 1995, when he initially served in the House. She told supporters in Aiken, South Carolina on Monday that her brother’s legacy is one she wishes to continue in a full term.
“I want to continue to fight to finish what he was doing. He helped this state. He brought resources to this state. And you know what? If we don’t bring them here, they’re going to go somewhere else, right?”
During the only candidate debate leading up to the runoff election, hosted by NewsMax, Graham caught heat for her answer on a question about the significance of Taiwan and the South China Sea.
“I’m just going to be honest here,” she said. “I’m not that informed on national security.”
The response from Graham prompted ‘boos’ from the audience. Lindsey Graham was known for his aggressive defense on U.S. national security and dedicated his career to foreign policy issues.
Norman, on the other hand, did have political experience as a five-term Congressman and a member of the House Freedom Caucus. Earlier this year, Rep. Norman ran for South Carolina governor but came in third place. During his short campaign for Senate, Norman has leaned on his political experience as a reason why voters should send him to the chamber.
Voting earlier on Tuesday, Rep. Norman leaned into his underdog role in this race.
“I love being an underdog,” he said. “I think our people are going to get out and vote. I think they’re excited. The electricity that we’ve had has been great.”
He also appealed to some Trump skeptics. While Norman aligned with the president politically, he endorsed his longtime friend former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley in her 2024 presidential bid against Trump.
Haley returned that support to the tune of more than $700,000 in outside money from PACs aligned with her.
However, voters across parties have been bucking the political class by voting for anti-establishment candidates this election cycle. Graham has definitely used the fact she isn’t a career politician to her advantage.
South Carolina Public Radio’s Luis-Alfredo Garcia contributed to this report.
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