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Trump Barnstorms Myrtle Beach for Lindsey Graham's Sister Ahead of Tuesday's Senate Runoff
The president made his first South Carolina appearance since 2024 to rally support for Sen. Darline Graham over Rep. Ralph Norman days before the runoff to fill her late brother's seat.
President Trump returned to South Carolina on Friday night, drawing thousands of supporters to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center to campaign for Sen. Darline Graham ahead of Tuesday's special Republican Senate primary runoff — his first visit to the state since 2024.
Graham, who was appointed by Republican Gov. Henry McMaster to serve out the remainder of her brother Lindsey Graham's term after his sudden death, is running to hold the seat outright against Rep. Ralph Norman. She advanced to the runoff after taking 33% of the vote in the initial primary to Norman's roughly 24%, with Rep. Russell Fry taking 19.6% in a crowded field.
"I'm doing this to honor Lindsey"
Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly on July 11 from an aortic tear, ending nearly 22 years in the Senate. Trump endorsed Darline Graham's bid for the full term last month, and he leaned on that history Friday night. "They're only fighting Darline because they want me to lose, which isn't fair, but I'm doing this to honor Lindsey," Trump told the crowd, according to The Hill's report from the event. Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Russell Fry, who threw his own support behind Graham after his third-place primary finish, both spoke ahead of her and the president.
I'M DOING THIS TO HONOR LINDSEY
The runoff has turned into one of the more closely watched intraparty fights of the year, pitting Trump's direct endorsement against Norman, a Freedom Caucus conservative with his own loyal base in the state's Fifth District. South Carolina Public Radio's debate coverage described a sharp-elbowed final stretch, with both candidates trading jabs over spending, immigration enforcement and who is the more authentic MAGA choice.
Early voting began this week, and the runoff will be decided Tuesday, Aug. 25. Whoever wins advances to the Nov. 6 general election against Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews for the right to serve the remainder of the term representing a state Trump carried comfortably in 2024, in a race Republicans are widely expected to retain regardless of which of the two GOP rivals prevails.