Key facts
- Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a rally for Darline Graham in South Carolina.
- Graham is a candidate in a Republican primary runoff for a U.S. Senate seat.
- Graham recently stated she is "not that informed on national security" during a debate.
- Nikki Haley, a supporter of Graham's opponent Ralph Norman, criticized Graham's lack of experience.
- Graham's current term in the Senate is to fill the seat of her late brother, Senator Lindsey Graham.
Donald Trump is scheduled to rally in South Carolina on Friday to support Darline Graham's bid for a U.S. Senate seat. Graham, a political newcomer, faces a Republican primary runoff against U.S. Representative Ralph Norman. Her candidacy has drawn criticism after she admitted during a debate that she is "not that informed on national security," a statement that contrasted sharply with her late brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, who was a prominent foreign policy voice. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, a supporter of Norman, also criticized Graham's lack of political experience, calling it an attempted "coronation."
Graham, 62, was appointed to the Senate earlier this year to fill the vacancy left by her brother's death. She is seeking a full six-year term in the November elections. In the initial August 11 primary, Graham secured 32.8% of the vote to Norman's 24.6%, but neither candidate reached the majority needed to avoid a runoff. Graham defended her debate remarks, stating she prefers honesty over political jargon and believes voters are more concerned with issues like the cost of living, transgender rights, gun rights, and immigration. Norman, 73, is a conservative with nearly a decade of experience in the U.S. House of Representatives. The winner of Tuesday's runoff will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the general election. Trump carried South Carolina by nearly 18 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, making the Republican nominee favored to win the Senate seat.