Darline Graham won South Carolina's Republican Senate primary runoff with 52% of the vote, defeating Representative Ralph Norman and securing the nomination to replace her late brother, Senator Lindsey Graham. The victory came after President Donald Trump endorsed her and campaigned alongside her in Myrtle Beach.
Trump's endorsement proved decisive, as he held a rally for Graham in her stronghold and his super PAC, MAGA INC., spent $827,711 supporting her campaign. Graham, appointed earlier this year to fill the remainder of her brother's term, will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in November.
The win bolsters Trump's influence within the Republican Party ahead of the midterm elections, where maintaining Senate control is critical. His backing has helped revive a campaign once seen as vulnerable, though his broader endorsement record this cycle has shown mixed results.
Graham acknowledged gaps in her foreign policy knowledge during the campaign but emphasized her focus on domestic issues, positioning herself as a loyal ally likely to follow party leadership in the Senate.