Trump rallies for Darline Graham before South Carolina runoff
Trump urged Myrtle Beach supporters to vote for Darline Graham as she faces Rep. Ralph Norman in Tuesday’s GOP Senate runoff.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
2 min read
President Donald Trump took the stage with Sen. Darline Graham in Myrtle Beach on Friday, using the Trump Darline Graham runoff rally to press supporters to turn out for his endorsed candidate before Tuesday’s Republican Senate primary runoff.
“Just come and vote,” Trump told the crowd, according to CBS News. He asked voters to act as if he were “on the ballot” as Graham seeks the party’s place on the November ballot.
Graham, the interim senator and sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, faces Rep. Ralph Norman in the runoff. The winner will become the Republican nominee for a full six-year Senate term, NBC News reported.
The contest reached a second round after Graham led the initial primary but fell short of a majority. NBC News reported she received 33% of the vote.
Who is Darline Graham running against in the South Carolina runoff?
Graham is running against Norman, a South Carolina congressman. Both are competing for the Republican nomination in the special Senate election, with voters set to decide the race Tuesday.
Graham was appointed to fill the remainder of her brother’s term after his sudden death in early July, CBS News reported. Trump had urged her to enter the race and endorsed her before her campaign was formally announced, according to an Associated Press report published by PBS.
Trump backs Graham after debate criticism
Friday’s event arrived after Graham’s answer to a debate question about Taiwan and the South China Sea prompted criticism of her readiness for the Senate. When asked whether the issues presented national-security concerns for the United States, Graham said she was “not that informed on national security,” CBS reported.
Before departing for South Carolina, Trump defended the answer to reporters. “She’s very smart, and she was being honest,” he said, according to CBS.
Onstage in Myrtle Beach, Graham addressed questions about her qualifications by embracing her newcomer status. “Now the critics say I shouldn’t run for the Senate. They say I’m not a politician,” she said. “You know what I say? Guilty as charged.”
Trump contrasted her intended focus with that of her brother, saying Lindsey Graham had concentrated on international affairs while Darline Graham was “more about affordability,” CBS reported. Graham has said she intends to focus on domestic issues.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Russell Fry also appeared at the rally, according to CBS News. Fry finished third in the first-round primary and later endorsed Graham, the AP reported.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.