Trump scores key GOP victory as Darline Graham wins primary to succeed late brother Lindsey
WASHINGTON, DC: Senator Darline Graham edged out Rep. Ralph Norman in South Carolina’s Republican primary runoff, picking 52.4% of the vote compared to Norman’s 47.6%, according to the Associated Press.
Graham stepped into the Senate seat after her brother, Lindsey Graham, passed away in July from a heart condition. Now, she heads into November’s general election, aiming for a full six-year term against Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician. Though in South Carolina, Republicans have a solid grip on statewide races.
Trump's endorsement and campaign involvement
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.
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.
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."
A campaign shaped by inherited political capital
Graham stepped into the race as a political newcomer, but she wasn’t starting from scratch; her brother’s long career in office since 1995 gave her a huge boost.
His campaign network and familiar name opened doors for her. When she spoke to her supporters, she said she wanted to carry on his legacy and the work he’d done for their state.
"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."
Graham's response prompted 'boos' from the audience. Lindsey Graham was known for his aggressive defense of US national security and dedicated his career to foreign policy issues.
Meanwhile, Trump’s endorsements in the primaries have been all over the map, with winners and losers in places like Florida, Georgia, Iowa, and Minnesota. Still, as the general election approaches, most candidates he’s backed have come out ahead.
