Darline Graham Wins South Carolina GOP Senate Runoff

Darline Graham won the Republican nomination for the Senate seat in South Carolina on Tuesday. Graham, 62, was endorsed by President Trump and will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the November election. She is heavily favored to win due to the state's strong Republican leanings, with Democrats not having won a U.S. Senate election in South Carolina since 1998.

Graham entered the race on July 20, after being appointed to serve temporarily in the seat held by her late brother by Governor Henry McMaster. Her campaign benefited from Trump's endorsement, as well as the advantages of incumbency and her recognizable name in South Carolina politics. MAGA Inc. also made a last-minute push for her, spending over $827,000 on phone calls and text messages ahead of the runoff election.

Graham's opponent, Rep. Ralph Norman, argued that Republican voters should judge candidates by their records, presenting himself as a proven conservative. Norman, 73, is vice chair of the House Freedom Caucus and has a hard-line conservative record. Despite his efforts, Graham won the nomination, positioning her as the odds-on favorite to win a full term in November.

The campaign saw significant spending on ads, with Graham and Norman combining to spend over $5 million on ads during the primary runoff. Graham's ads emphasized her endorsement from President Trump, while Norman's ads focused on his record as a proven conservative.