Senator Darline Graham wins South Carolina GOP Senate runoff against Ralph Norman

Washington — Sen. Darline Graham won the Republican Senate runoff in South Carolina on Tuesday night, WTX US News projects, defeating Rep. Ralph Norman in the special primary to replace Graham’s late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, on the ballot this November.

Lindsey Graham, a four-term senator who had been seeking reelection, died suddenly last month, prompting a sprint to replace him in the Senate and on the ballot. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed the late senator’s sister to serve out the rest of his term, which ends early next year. But the question of who would be on the ballot for a full six-year term, after Lindsey Graham had won the GOP nomination in June, was up to the voters.

President Trump encouraged Darline Graham to run for a full term. But the president’s endorsement didn’t stop a number of other Republicans from jumping into the race, including Norman. Darline Graham and Norman were the top two vote-getters in the special primary election on Aug. 11, with Darline Graham getting nearly 33% of the vote to Norman’s almost 25%. But since neither candidate secured 50% of the vote, the contest went to a runoff. 

As the runoff approached, Darline Graham billed herself as “a problem solver, a critical thinker, and a leader,” despite her lack of experience in elected office. She touted decades of experience working for South Carolina, including most recently serving as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.

She and her brother had a close relationship, and the late senator never married or had children. Darline Graham likened her work ethic to her brother’s, and credited their hardworking parents who ran a bar and liquor store in central South Carolina for modeling that ethic. But as she vowed to carry on her brother’s legacy, she also emphasized that she would bring her own approach to the Senate.

As Darline Graham, 62, introduced herself to voters, her experience and ability to serve a full term in the Senate appeared to be at the center of the primary. And the dynamic came to a head when she struggled to answer a debate question regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea last week, saying she was “not that informed on national security.” The answer underscored a key question in the contest, as South Carolinians considered whether to back the less-experienced candidate as their nominee.

“I’m not a polished politician,” she said, while expressing her support for the military. 

Meanwhile, Norman touted his credentials as a conservative legislator. The 73-year-old real estate developer, who’s represented South Carolina in the House since 2017, drew a line between himself and Darline Graham in the short-lived primary fight, calling her an “unknown candidate.” 

But the newly minted senator pulled off a win in the runoff with the president’s support. Mr. Trump campaigned for Darline Graham in South Carolina last week and hosted a tele-rally on Monday. As he campaigned, the president acknowledged that he “asked her to do this.”

“I said, ‘Darline, you gotta do it,'” Mr. Trump said. “Because everyone loves her, everyone respects her… I think Lindsey respected Darline more than any other person he knows, including me.”

Graham thanked the president in a Tuesday night victory speech, telling supporters: “Our victory would not have been possible without you, and we are truly grateful.”

Darline Graham’s victory came after the president threw substantial effort behind her campaign. Mr. Trump’s PAC spent more than $800,000 on phone calls to South Carolina voters for Darline Graham, according to the Federal Election Commission. 

The win in Tuesday’s runoff sets up a November contest against Dr. Annie Andrews, who won the Democratic primary in June. But the seat is expected to remain in GOP control. South Carolinians haven’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998, and Mr. Trump won the state by 18 points in 2024.