South Carolina’s Primary Battle Heats Up in the Final Stretch

Supporters of the two candidates in South Carolina’s Tuesday special Republican primary race are doubling down their efforts to draw support for their pick in the heated Senate race to determine the Palmetto State’s next U.S. senator following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in July.

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who stood outside the New York courthouse while President Donald Trump faced trial, and former Sen. Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., will face off for the party’s nomination after neither candidate obtained 50% of the vote in the August primary election.

Norman has landed the endorsements of Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Mike Lee, R-Utah., and House Freedom Caucus members like Reps. Mark Harris, R-N.C., and Keith Self, R-Texas. He has also been backed by former South Carolina Govs. Nikki Haley and Mark Sanford.

Graham, who was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to replace her late brother, will head to the runoff election with the support of Trump, Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Katie Britt, R-Ala., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo.

On Friday, Graham landed McMaster’s endorsement, who wrote that since she took office, she has “stood for the values that South Carolinians live by, continued Lindsey Graham’s work, and stood firmly with President Trump to advance his America First agenda.”

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., also backed Graham, and joined the president and Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., for a Friday night rally in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Graham has also landed the endorsements of major pro-life organizations, such as the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and National Right to Life, which has created a divide amongst the pro-life community, as Norman has received a 100% legislative rating from SBA Pro-Life America.

In a statement to the Daily Signal, Randy Page, a former board member of South Carolina Citizens for Life, who resigned after the organization endorsed Graham, stated that the endorsement decisions from groups like South Carolina Citizens for Life PAC weren’t decisions “made in South Carolina.” 

“Decisions regarding federal candidates are made in Washington, DC,” Page added. “Pro-life voters expect pro-life organizations to endorse principled, pro-life candidates who have a legislative record promoting and supporting pro-life policies.”

Page continued, calling the endorsements as “unfortunate,” due to Norman’s “solid record” and “countless 100% ratings” from the NRLC, which should have qualified him to receive the endorsements instead.

“These decisions are baffling to rank-and-file pro-life voters throughout South Carolina,” Page concluded.

Graham’s knowledge of pro-life issues recently came under question after she told a reporter that she would have to “think about” whether she supports a full ban of abortion, instead of the six-week ban implemented in the state, which she said she supports.

Graham’s apparent lack of knowledge on major issues has also stirred controversy.

During a televised debate a week before the election, Graham seemed confused on important questions involving national security.

When the moderator asked if “Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security threats to the United States,” Graham said that “national security is not my thing.” 

“I’m just gonna be honest here, I’m not that informed on national security, so … but I do support the military,” she said.

The moderators then repeatedly pressed Graham on foreign policy issues, to which she said that she supports the president’s decision-making on this matter.

“I fully trust President [Donald] Trump when it comes to the war in Iran,” Graham stated, before adding that “Iran is the weakest they have been in 47 years. The one thing that concerns me is we cannot let them get a nuclear weapon. So, I trust President Trump and everything he’s doing. I think he’s got this, and I trust him on it.”

According to CNN, Trump responded to the criticism of her by saying that “she’s very smart, and she was being honest. She’s into the price of groceries … and [national security] hasn’t been her thing, but she’s surrounded by very good people.”

“She said she’s totally for the military. She’s going to do what the military wants — and really what the president wants, Trump continued. “She understands that national security is my thing.”

In a different moment during the debate, the senator apparently confused the population of South Carolina, claiming 50 million instead of 5.5 million.

SAVE America Act

Both candidates have expressed support for key voter identification legislation championed by the president, known as the SAVE America Act.

On Friday, Norman, who was one of the first politicians who called on South Carolina to approve a redistricting measure in 2025, wrote on X that the Senate’s priority when it returns from the August recess is to pass the SAVE America Act.

“Get back to Washington, pass the SAVE America Act,” the Freedom Caucus member said.

Similarly, Graham has vocalized support for the legislation upon assuming office, and disagreed with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on wanting to dismiss the Senate for the nearly six-week summer break.

“President Trump is 100% correct. The SAVE America Act is top priority,” Graham wrote. “I will stay here as long as necessary to get it passed and signed into law.”

During Friday’s rally, Graham also vowed to prioritize the passage of the SAVE America Act, and abolish the filibuster in order to do so.

“As your Senator, I will fight tirelessly to PASS the SAVE America Act, and support eliminating the filibuster to do so,” she wrote on X.