South Carolina Republicans have made their choice in the extraordinary race that followed the sudden death of longtime Sen. Lindsey Graham, setting up a November contest for a full six-year term.
The result also delivers a victory to President Donald Trump, who personally urged one candidate to enter the race and devoted substantial political resources to helping her win.
Sen. Darline Graham won Tuesday night’s Republican Senate
Runoff, defeating Rep. Ralph Norman in the special primary to replace her late brother, CBS News projected.
Lindsey Graham, who served four terms in the Senate and had already secured the Republican nomination for another term in June, died suddenly last month.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster subsequently appointed Darline Graham to serve the remainder of her brother’s current term, which expires early next year.
But voters still needed to determine who would become the
Republican nominee for the new six-year term beginning in 2027.
Trump encouraged the 62-year-old Graham to seek the nomination, but his endorsement did not prevent other Republicans from entering the abbreviated contest.
Graham and Norman emerged as the top two candidates in the Aug. 11 special primary, with Graham receiving nearly 33% and Norman taking almost 25%.
Because neither reached the 50% threshold required to win
Outright, the race advanced to Tuesday’s runoff.
Graham campaigned as a political newcomer but emphasized decades of public service, including her work as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.
She described herself as “a problem solver, a critical thinker, and a leader” and frequently discussed the work ethic she and her brother learned from their parents.
Graham nevertheless faced questions about her readiness for the
Senate after struggling during a debate with a question involving Taiwan and the South China Sea.
“I’m not that informed on national security,” Graham acknowledged, while emphasizing her support for the U. S. military.
“I’m not a polished politician,” she added.
Norman attempted to capitalize on that lack of political
Experience, portraying Graham as an “unknown candidate” while highlighting his own conservative record.
The 73-year-old real estate developer has represented South Carolina in the House since 2017 and is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
But Graham possessed a significant advantage in Trump’s endorsement.
Trump campaigned alongside her in South Carolina last week and
Participated in a tele-rally Monday as voters prepared to decide the runoff.
“I said, ‘Darline, you gotta do it,’” Trump told supporters. “Because everyone loves her, everyone respects her.”
Trump’s political operation also invested heavily in the race.
His PAC spent more than $800,000 on phone calls supporting
Graham, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Graham thanked Trump during her victory speech Tuesday night.
“Our victory would not have been possible without you, and we are truly grateful,” she said.
Norman’s previous support for Nikki Haley during the 2024
Republican presidential primary also resurfaced during the campaign.
Trump said Norman had appeared to be a “good Congressman” but argued that he “ruined his career when he endorsed Nikki Haley.”
With the Republican nomination secured, Graham will now face Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews in November.
Andrews won the Democratic primary in June
Graham enters the general election as the favorite in a state that has become increasingly difficult terrain for Democrats at the federal level.
South Carolina voters have not elected a Democrat to the U. S. Senate since 1998.
Trump also carried the state by approximately 18 percentage
Points in the 2024 presidential election.
If Graham wins in November, she will return to Washington with a full six-year term rather than merely completing the final months of her brother’s tenure, CBS News reported.
Her victory would also extend the Graham family’s representation of South Carolina in the Senate while beginning a political career that Darline Graham has emphasized will be distinctly her own.