President Trump swiftly endorsed Darline Graham, the sister of the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who is serving out her brother’s term and is now running to win his seat in a runoff election against U.S. Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC).
[NOTE: Graham, who has never held elected office before, received 32.7 percent of the vote in the GOP primary. Norman got 24.6 percent.]
On the night of the GOP primary election, Norman said, “This is a time to come together, folks. We got to all coalesce, come together” to beat the Democrats, who he says will have “the government take over everything.”
Former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who had Norman on his podcast, responded to Norman’s comments by writing: “The consolidation of other candidates around Norman has happened rather quickly. Is he now the frontrunner?”
The consolidation of other candidates around Norman has happened rather quickly.
Is he now the frontrunner?
Ralph Norman joins “the Matt Gaetz Show” tonight!
9pm EST @OANN
Now on @YouTubeTV https://t.co/xNJbuj7nx2
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) August 13, 2026
MAGA-aligned U.S. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (R-CO) amplified Gaetz’s post and told her followers to watch the episode. Fellow MAGA Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) replied to Boebert, “Ralph Norman ALL THE WAY!”
Mace said of Darline Graham, “The seat was literally handed to her via an appointment by the Governor.” (Republican Governor Henry McMaster has yet to make an endorsement.)
The seat was literally handed to her via an appointment by the Governor. https://t.co/U7HNKSwvgj
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) August 12, 2026
The runoff election in South Carolina will take place on Tuesday, August 25. Dr. Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee, has challenged either Graham or Norman to a live televised debate in the fall.
Today, I sent a letter to Darline Graham and Ralph Norman challenging them to debate me in the Fall.
South Carolinians deserve an honest conversation about where each of us stands — and who is prepared to deliver real results for the people of South Carolina.
I’ll show up. Will… pic.twitter.com/agOhDJ7jik
— Dr. Annie Andrews (@AnnieAndrewsMD) August 12, 2026
Andrews said, “For me, it doesn’t really matter who ultimately emerges from this runoff…because these Republicans are offering just more of the same. I watched them all debate last week, and frankly, I was wildly unimpressed by their performance.”