COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — US Sen. Darline Graham won the Republican nomination to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham on South Carolina’s general election ballot, notching another win for President Donald Trump after he threw his support behind the political novice.
Darline Graham defeated US Rep. Ralph Norman in Tuesday’s special Republican primary runoff, two weeks after they were the top two finishers in a 10-way primary.
Despite being a political unknown, Darline Graham bested some of South Carolina’s top political names in the special election spun up after her brother’s sudden death last month. She was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster to serve out the remaining months of her late brother’s current term and swiftly notched an endorsement from Trump, who encouraged her to enter the race for a full term and campaigned for her in the state last week.
Graham will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in November.
On Monday, MAGA Inc., the super PAC that supports Trump and aligned Republicans — but that has spent little thus far on Trump’s picks in this year’s midterms — spent nearly $830,000 for voter calls and text message blasts in support of Graham.
