Republican Voters Choose Replacement For Lindsey Graham In Hotly-Contested Primary

News admin August 26, 2026 0 Comments

Republican Voters Choose Replacement For Lindsey Graham In Hotly-Contested Primary

Trump-endorsed Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) won Tuesday’s Republican runoff and will advance to the November general election, overcoming concerns about the political newcomer’s lack of experience as she seeks a full term in her late brother’s Senate seat.

Graham defeated Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), winning roughly 53.3% of the vote in the runoff to secure the Republican nomination for a full six-year term. Decision Desk HQ called the race at 8:38 pm EDT.

Graham’s runoff victory caps a dramatic rise for a candidate who had never previously held elected office before being appointed to the Senate last month. The race also presented another test of President Donald Trump’s influence over Republican voters in the Palmetto State.

On Friday, Trump hit the stump for Graham in Myrtle Beach, making a personal pitch for why the MAGA base should turn out to support her.

“They say Trump does great when he’s on the ballot. But when he’s not on the ballot, his people don’t come, and they don’t vote for senators, congressmen, and other Republicans,” Trump said. “What I want you to do is pretend – please – like I’m on the ballot. Just come and vote. It’s so important.”

Norman’s strong showing revealed significant hesitation among Republican voters about handing Graham a full, six-year Senate term. Concerns about her inexperience were on full display during a viral debate-night gaffe where she admitted she was “not that informed on national security.”

“I’m just going to be honest here, I’m not that informed on national security,” she said when asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States.

Former South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley criticized the remark.

“Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Graham admits she’s not,” Haley said. “This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the U.S. Senate.”

Graham has previously outlined the differences between herself and her brother on foreign policy, saying in a July interview that she preferred to focus on issues that matter to “the average person.”

Norman, a conservative Republican who endorsed Haley in the 2024 presidential primary, had a long track record in South Carolina politics. He was first elected to Congress in a 2017 special election and previously served in the South Carolina House of Representatives.

“There’s nothing enormously special about him. But, you know what you’re going to get. He is a solid conservative voter,” Ryan Girdusky, a conservative political consultant, previously told The Daily Wire.

Norman secured endorsements from conservative Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Mike Lee (R-UT), as well as several Upstate sheriffs. Graham, meanwhile, sought to strengthen her conservative credentials while leaning heavily on Trump’s MAGA base.

In a recent campaign ad, Graham touted her pro-life beliefs and called for a ban on biological men competing in women’s sports as she made the case for carrying on her late brother’s legacy.

“Lindsey taught me public service isn’t about titles; it’s about helping people. President Trump asked me to run for the Senate to work with him on the issues we care about,” she said. “While I never wanted to be in this position. I’m ready to serve the people of South Carolina.”

Turnout in Tuesday’s runoff was abnormally low, with local officials citing voter fatigue as a key factor behind the depressed participation. If elected in November, Graham would become the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from South Carolina.

Graham entered a crowded special Senate race on July 20 after Trump enthusiastically endorsed her, telling the head of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, “RUN, DARLINE, RUN!” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham in July to serve out the remainder of her brother’s term.

Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly last month at his Capitol Hill home in what the medical examiner’s office believes was an aortic dissection. Before collapsing, Graham reportedly told a staffer he was experiencing chest pain. He had easily won his Republican primary in June before his death upended the race.

“I think that the president was really in a state of grief. He loved Lindsey Graham,” Girdusky said. “And he picked her, you know, very, very, very quickly.”

Graham will now advance to the November general election against Democrat Annie Andrews in a seat that The Cook Political Report rates as Solid Republican.