Darline Graham secures a narrow victory in the South Carolina Senate runoff after receiving an endorsement from President Trump.
Darline Graham defeated Representative Ralph Norman by less than 5 points in the South Carolina Senate runoff. The Republican senator secured a spot on the general election ballot to replace her late brother, Lindsey Graham.
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President Trump endorsed Darline Graham and campaigned for her in Myrtle Beach, where she won Horry County by more than 46 points. While the victory was narrow, the administration announced that the endorsement was a significant move for the senator, who was considered a deep underdog before the runoff. Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha noted that while the endorsement from President Trump helped, the 52 percent of the vote she received was lower than expected for a candidate endorsed by the administration. Rocha argued that President Trump typically receives 70 to 90 percent of the vote in a Republican primary. Darline Graham will now face Democrat Annie Andrews in the general election. Decision Desk HQ gives the Republican a chance of 81 percent to win the seat.