Trump to speak in South Carolina at Darline Graham rally

Aug. 21 (UPI) — President Donald Trump will visit South Carolina Friday to bolster Sen. Darline Graham in her bid for the Senate seat of her late brother, Lindsey Graham.

She is facing a Republican primary runoff election on Tuesday for a full term in the Senate. Her opponent is Rep. Ralph Norman, a hardline conservative and member of the House Freedom Caucus. Though Trump has endorsed Graham, Norman is a Trump backer.

In the Aug. 11 special primary, Graham finished first with 33% of the vote, beating Norman, who finished with 25%, and U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, who got 20% of the vote. Because she didn’t get a majority, there must be a runoff.

The winner of Tuesday’s runoff will face Democratic candidate pediatrician Annie Andrews in November.

The president plans to visit Myrtle Beach, S.C., to speak at an evening rally for Graham.

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to finish out her brother’s term in the Senate after Lindsey Graham’s sudden death in July of an aortic dissection due to arterioscl*** cardiovascular disease.

“Myrtle Beach is the exact correct place for them to go. It is the heart of [former Senate candidate Rep.] Russell Fry’s district and home to probably the largest population of persuadable voters that we expect will be voting,” said Mick Mulvaney, who represented South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District in the House. He also served as White House chief of staff in Trump’s first term.

“Trump will obviously carry a lot of weight. But how much remains to be seen. Polling indicates that maybe only 40% of voters put a lot of weight on his endorsement,” Mulvaney said. “That, combined with her astonishingly poor performance in the debate earlier this week, may make this race much closer than people realize.”

On Tuesday, Graham faced Norman in a debate. She was asked how Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues, and she responded, “national security is not” her thing but that she supports the military.

“Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Darline Graham admits she’s not. This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the U.S. Senate,” former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley posted on X. Haley ran against Trump in 2024 and is supporting Norman.

A source with Graham’s campaign told The Hill that Graham’s team is relying on more than just Trump to win.

“It opens a door, but it doesn’t walk you through it,” the person said. “People want to know that their candidate is going to work with President Trump, and that’s as, if not more, important than the endorsement.”