'I'm not that informed': Lindsey Graham's sister stumbles through runoff debate

WASHINGTON, DC: Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of late Sen Lindsey Graham, faced criticism after acknowledging during a South Carolina Republican Senate runoff debate that national security is not her area of expertise before making another factual error about the state’s population.

Graham Nordone was asked on Wednesday, August 19, whether Taiwan and the South China Sea should be considered US national security issues and, if so, why.

She responded candidly that she was “not that informed on national security,” while stressing her support for the military and pointing to her family’s military background.

The exchange quickly became a political flashpoint as Graham Nordone seeks the Republican nomination for the Senate seat previously held by her brother.

Darline Graham Nordone admits national security gap

“I’m just gonna be honest here,” Graham Nordone said when asked about Taiwan and the South China Sea. “I’m not that informed on national security. But I do support the military.”

She added that her brother had served in the Air Force for 33 years and said she would do everything possible to support the military.

“I’m not a polished politician up here,” Graham Nordone said. “National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise.”

The response drew criticism from former South Carolina Gov Nikki Haley, who has endorsed Graham Nordone’s Republican opponent, Rep Ralph Norman.

“Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security,” Haley wrote on X. “Darline Graham admits she’s not. This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the US Senate.”

The criticism comes as Graham Nordone has emphasized that her approach would place greater attention on domestic issues than her brother’s, who was a prominent voice on foreign policy and national security.

Population gaffe adds fresh scrutiny about readiness

Graham Nordone then stumbled again while discussing economic pressures facing South Carolina residents.

“There’s 50 million people in South Carolina. Half of them live paycheck to paycheck,” she said, misstating the state’s population.

The figure was roughly ten times South Carolina’s actual population, turning the debate into a second moment of scrutiny for Graham Nordone.

Graham Nordone, 62, was appointed by Republican Gov Henry McMaster to serve the remainder of her brother’s Senate term following his death on July 11. She later announced that she would seek a full six-year term.

She advanced to the Republican runoff and will face Norman to determine the GOP nominee. President Donald Trump has endorsed Graham Nordone in the race.

The outcome will determine which Republican moves forward in a closely watched contest for the South Carolina Senate seat.

Her campaign has stressed her family's military connections and focus on domestic issues, but the debate has left her preparedness for the role under renewed scrutiny.