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Darline Graham Nordone and Republican rivals debate South Carolina U.S. Senate seat

Republican candidates for South Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat held their first live debate in Columbia on Monday, highlighting key differences in foreign policy and leadership styles. Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, emphasized her full support for the administration's agenda and advocated for ending the filibuster to expedite legislation. While the candidates largely agreed on national debt reduction and voter identification, they diverged on the war in Iran. Former Governor Mark Sanford argued that Congress, rather than the president, should hold the authority to declare war. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Russell Fry and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman both expressed opposition to deploying additional ground troops to the Iran region, favoring a strategy of defanging the country's nuclear capabilities from the air. Businessman Mark Lynch also participated, offering a critique of the late Senator's record while advocating for local community interests. The primary race will determine the GOP nominee for the November general election against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews.

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