Sen. Darline Graham defeated Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) in a Republican primary runoff on Tuesday to determine the nominee for South Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat. During his concession speech that evening, Norman’s mention of Donald Trump’s involvement in the race drew boos from his supporters. Norman stated that while he accepted the result and considered Trump’s policies to be good, he did not understand why the president chose to intervene in the primary.
The special election was held to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who died suddenly in July 2024. Following his death, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham, the late senator’s sister, to serve the remainder of the term. President Trump subsequently encouraged her to run for a full six-year term, providing her with an early endorsement and appearing at a rally on her behalf in Myrtle Beach.
With 99% of the votes counted, Graham received 193,396 votes (52.5%) to Norman’s 175,327 votes (47.6%). Norman, a real estate developer who has served in the U.S. House since 2017, had criticized Graham’s lack of elective experience during the campaign. Graham, who previously served as the commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, faced questions during the race regarding her knowledge of national security after she stated she was "not that informed" on matters concerning Taiwan and the South China Sea.
The scale of the campaign’s financial backing highlights the level of national interest in this local vacancy. President Trump’s political action committee, MAGA Inc., spent more than $827,000 on phone calls and text messages to support Graham’s candidacy. Conversely, Norman faced approximately $1 million in spending from the solar industry aimed at his defeat. The result reinforces the influence of presidential endorsements in South Carolina, a state Trump won by 18 points in 2024, and confirms that Graham will continue to serve in the Senate through the end of the year before potentially starting a new term in 2025.
The immediate impact for South Carolina residents is the conclusion of a rapid primary process following the death of a long-serving senator. Residents will see Graham’s name on the November ballot as the Republican nominee. The knock-on effect of this victory suggests a continuation of the late Lindsey Graham’s legacy, though Darline Graham has stated she would bring her own approach to the office. Norman, while expressing disappointment for the state’s decision, committed to supporting Graham in the upcoming general election. The general election is scheduled for November, where the winner will secure a six-year term in the U.S. Senate.