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 100% of the votes counted, Graham Nordone received 52,4% compared to Norman's 47,6%.

"South Carolina, I am deeply honored and humbled to accept your nomination as the Republican candidate for the United States Senate," the interim senator said following her electoral victory.

"First and foremost, I thank the Lord for His blessings and guidance. To my family, President Trump, Team Graham, and the countless supporters across our state: thank you for believing in this mission and standing with us every step of the way," she added.

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.

Harsh concession speech from Ralph Norman

Shortly after Graham Nordone’s victory was confirmed, Norman took the stage alongside his wife and the rest of his family to deliver his concession speech. The congressman said he would support the Republican nominee, although he argued that “the Democrats got what they wanted” with the result.

Norman also highlighted the spending disparity in the race: “We had eight million dollars spend against us. We couldn´t come up with that much money. All of our money come from South Carolina and from my personal account. My opponent´s, the money come from outsided PAC´s.”

He also expressed his frustration with Trump’s heavy involvement in the race: “His policies are good, I never understood why he got in this race ... it is what it is I'll accept it.”

Finally, he thanked his supporters, his family and his campaign team. “Something good will come out of this. I accept it. I don’t like it, but I accept it,” Norman concluded.