Darline Graham says she's "not that informed on national security" at debate

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Updated on: August 19, 2026 / 1:25 PM EDT

/ CBS News

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Sen. Darline Graham fumbled a question on national security in the South Carolina GOP Senate debate, admitting she was "not that informed on national security" and neglecting to answer a question about Taiwan and the South China Sea. The novice senator is beginning her sixth week on the job, having been appointed to fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's seat two days after his sudden death on July 11. Lack of experience is one of the primary criticisms facing her campaign. At Tuesday's debate, Rep. Ralph Norman, her GOP opponent who also advanced to the runoff behind Graham in the Aug. 11 primary, called her an "unknown candidate" while also representing mainstream Washington."I'm just going to be honest here," Graham answered when asked if Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States. "I'm not that informed on national security, so — but I do support the military."To the same question, Norman cited the importance of Taiwan's chip production and said, "what the president is doing right is he's enabling Taiwan to defend themselves against China."Graham later called China a national security threat, advocating for "any type of bans against China" from AI to farmland, and she also fielded questions on Iran and Israel. The candid revelation, however, has still drawn scrutiny. "Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States' national security," former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley wrote on X. "Darline Graham admits she's not. This is not something you inherit. And it's critical in the U.S. Senate."