Ralph Norman jumps into South Carolina Senate scramble
The South Carolina congressman says Trump’s endorsement of Darline Graham will not stop his bid for Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
3 min read
Rep. Ralph Norman is making a run for the Republican nomination to succeed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham in South Carolina, entering a fast-moving Senate contest one day after President Donald Trump endorsed Graham’s sister.
Norman, a South Carolina Republican, announced his plans Saturday during an appearance on Fox News, where he said he would compete in the special primary for the November ballot.
“I’ll be throwing my hat in the ring,” Norman told Fox News, adding that from his first day he would focus on passing Trump’s “America First” agenda, starting with the SAVE America Act. Norman also said he would support ending the filibuster to advance the measure.
The move puts Norman on a collision course with Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed this week to fill her brother’s seat after Lindsey Graham died suddenly last weekend, NBC News reported.
Trump picked Darline Graham
Trump backed Darline Graham on Friday in a Truth Social post, urging her to seek a full Senate term and giving her what he called his “complete and total endorsement,” according to NBC News.
Norman told Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany that he had wanted Trump’s backing before launching his campaign, but said the president’s decision would not change his own plans.
“I wanted [Trump’s] blessing to run and get his support,” Norman said on Fox News. “He decided to go with Darline, who’s a nice person, and he decided to go with her. And so I respect that, but it doesn’t deter my plans.”
Darline Graham, a Republican, was sworn in after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to serve the remainder of Lindsey Graham’s term, NBC News reported. Lindsey Graham had been seeking a fifth term before his death.
A short runway for candidates
The special primary is coming quickly. Candidates must file by July 21, and the primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, according to NBC News.
Several other South Carolina Republicans have been discussed as possible contenders, including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Rep. Nancy Mace, but NBC News reported they had not officially entered the race as of Saturday.
Businessman Mark Lynch is also looking at another run. Lynch lost to Lindsey Graham in the June Republican primary, when Graham was running for re-election, and said earlier this week that he planned to reactivate his Senate campaign, according to WYFF.
The race now features a sharp test inside South Carolina Republican politics: a sitting House conservative challenging the newly appointed senator backed by Trump, with only days left for the field to take shape.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.