Trump-backed Darline Graham Wins South Carolina Senate Runoff

A famous name and a nod from President Donald Trump were all it took for an unexpected contender to claim victory in South Carolina's latest runoff election. Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., knocked out Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., in a sudden contest to fill the Senate seat left vacant by her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, after his passing in July.

Less than two months following his death at age 71, voters in South Carolina chose the familiar Graham name. She had almost no political experience before stepping in to finish her brother's term, yet she secured Trump's highly sought-after backing. Though Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her initially as a temporary fix for the remainder of her brother's time, Trump urged her to run for the full spot.

"Darline is somebody I've known for a long time," Trump told crowds at a rally 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." He added that he knew her through Lindsey and believed his late friend respected Darline more than anyone else, not even Trump himself.

Financial support arrived at the eleventh hour after a stumble during her final debate with Norman. She admitted she did not know much about Taiwan's strategic importance. That moment nearly cost her momentum, but Trump stepped in to fund her effort. His group, MAGA Inc., which holds roughly $400 million for campaigns and has seen little use this cycle as Senate races shifted elsewhere, poured over $800,000 into phone ads for Graham over the weekend, campaign finance records show.

Graham presented herself as a politician focused on home issues rather than foreign policy. Still, she made one point clear during debates and her brief time in office: voting for her meant voting for the Trump agenda. She attacked Norman for defying House Republican leadership and, at times, Trump herself. Her message was simple. "We already have enough problem Democrats, we don't need a problem Republican," she said.

Even though she has served only a few weeks, Graham told voters she had accomplished more than Norman did in his entire career in Congress. She pointed to the passage of bipartisan Russia sanctions, originally pushed by her brother but slowed by the White House at times. "I was in Washington for only two weeks before I passed the Russia and Iran Sanctions Act through the Senate," Graham stated. "I then passed the deciding vote to confirm President Trump's attorney general, Todd Blanche." She concluded with a sharp comparison: "Simply put, I've done more in 20 days than Ralph Norman has done in 20 years."

The fight between Norman and Graham was tough, but Tuesday evening saw Norman pledge his support after losing. He planned to call her personally to offer congratulations. "As I said earlier, I'm going to support the Republican. I'm not supporting a Democrat. So, I will support her – Darline – as best I can," he told supporters during his concession speech.