Trump wins in South Carolina: Darline Graham defeats Ralph Norman and secures the Senate nomination

Darline Graham Nordone won the runoff for the Republican Senate nomination in South Carolina. The interim senator, backed by President Donald Trump, defeated Congressman Ralph Norman. Now, Graham Nordone will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.

Initially, the Senate primary in South Carolina took place on June 10, when Lindsey Graham easily secured the Republican nomination. However, due to his unexpected death, a special primary was scheduled for Tuesday, August 11. In that election, Graham Nordone and Norman advanced to the runoff.

With 90% of the votes counted, Graham Nordone received 53% compared to Norman's 47%.

President Trump was heavily involved in the election. In addition to endorsing Graham Nordone, the president hosted an event in Myrtle Beach days before the runoff to boost her candidacy. In fact, one of the keys to his victory was the large margin he secured in Horry County, precisely where Myrtle Beach is located. There, the margin was nearly 50 percentage points, enough to offset Norman's strong performance in Greenville County.

MAGA Inc., the main super PAC backing the president, invested $827,000 in phone calls and text messages to voters in support of Graham. It was the super PAC's first significant expenditure in this election cycle.

Graham Nordone, 62, was recently appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to serve out the remainder of her brother's Senate term. She became the first woman to represent the state in the Senate.

In addition to Trump's endorsement, the interim senator was backed by South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and Governor McMaster himself. Another key endorsement came from Congressman Russell Fry, who finished third in the August 11 primary. Fry's endorsement was also key to her landslide victory in Horry County, which is part of the district represented by Congressman Fry.

Although she had never held elected office, Graham Nordone spent much of her career at state agencies dedicated to vocational rehabilitation and employment placement for people with disabilities. Since 2019, she has served as a commissioner on the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.

Other examples of current senators who were initially appointed to fill vacancies and later sought a full term include Tim Scott, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.