Graham and Norman Battle in South Carolina GOP Senate Runoff to Replace Late Senator

South Carolina voters will decide Tuesday between two Republicans vying to fill the Senate seat vacated by the death of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in July. Darline Graham, his sister serving as interim replacement, faces U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman in the special GOP primary runoff, marking the culmination of a contentious two-week campaign following the Aug. 11 initial primary where both emerged as top finishers.

Darline Graham enters the race as a political newcomer attempting to build voter support in the heavily Republican state where her brother maintained strong backing. Norman, by contrast, leverages nearly two decades of experience in elected office at state and federal levels, recently concluding an unsuccessful bid for the state’s governorship. The contrast between the candidates’ experience levels has become central to their competing messages to voters.

President Donald Trump has emerged as a significant factor in the race, endorsing Darline Graham before she officially announced her candidacy and campaigning on her behalf days before the runoff. On Monday, MAGA Inc., the Trump-aligned super PAC, contributed nearly $830,000 to support Graham’s voter contact efforts through calls and text messages. Trump held a tele-rally with Graham on the eve of voting and appeared at a Myrtle Beach rally where he publicly encouraged voters to support her nomination.

During their single debate, Darline Graham struggled with a question about U.S. national security interests in Taiwan and the South China Sea, ultimately stating that “national security is not my thing” and admitting limited knowledge on the subject. Norman responded to the same question by characterizing Taiwan as “a definite ally” and praising Trump’s approach to supporting Taiwan’s defensive capabilities against China. The exchange highlighted concerns about Graham’s policy depth, which Norman has repeatedly emphasized throughout the campaign.

Norman has secured endorsements from U.S. Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Mike Lee of Utah, along with former South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint and Turning Point Action. The congressman has contributed more than $1 million of his own funds to the campaign during its final week. He has characterized Graham’s campaign as heavily managed by Washington interests and portrayed her as beholden to special interests shaping her political positions.

Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a Charleston physician selected in June’s primary, will face the Republican winner in November’s general election. Democrats have not won a statewide Senate race in South Carolina for decades, and when Lindsey Graham ran in 2020, he prevailed by a 10 percentage point margin in one of the nation’s costliest congressional contests.