U.S. Senator Darline Graham won South Carolina's special Republican primary runoff on Tuesday, defeating Representative Ralph Norman and securing the party's nomination for a full six-year Senate term. The result gives President Donald Trump a notable victory after he endorsed the first-time candidate and campaigned for her in the state.
Graham entered the contest after her brother, four-term Senator Lindsey Graham, died suddenly in July while seeking reelection. Governor Henry McMaster appointed her to hold the vacant seat through the end of the current term in early January, but voters had to choose who would carry the Republican nomination into the November general election.
The South Carolina Election Commission listed the statewide runoff on August 25. With about 93 percent of ballots counted, El Pais reported Graham leading Norman by 52.4 percent to 47.6 percent, a margin of roughly 15,000 votes. Reuters and major U.S. news organizations projected her as the winner late Tuesday.
Graham and Norman qualified for the runoff after finishing first and second in a 10-candidate special primary on August 11. CBS News reported that Graham received nearly 33 percent in that vote, compared with almost 25 percent for Norman, leaving both below the majority required to avoid a second round.
Trump encouraged Graham to seek the full term, appeared with her at a South Carolina rally and supported her through a political action committee. CBS News, citing federal campaign records, reported that the committee spent more than $800,000 on calls to voters. Norman, a House member since 2017, emphasized his legislative experience while questioning Graham's readiness for national office.
The nomination places Graham against Democratic candidate Annie Andrews in November. South Carolina has favored Republicans in recent statewide federal elections, making Graham the leading contender, but the general election will determine who serves the new term beginning in January. The outcome also provides a fresh measure of Trump's influence over Republican primary voters ahead of the national midterm elections.
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