Sen. Darline Graham, Trump's pick for South Carolina Senate, wins GOP primary

South Carolina Senator-elect Darline Graham clinched her party's nomination for a full term on Tuesday, despite stumbling during a recent debate when she faltered answering queries about Taiwan and the South China Sea. Graham, a political newcomer appointed to the seat in July following her brother Lindsey Graham's unexpected passing, secured 52.4% of the vote in the runoff against Representative Ralph Norman.

The South Carolina primary results were announced on Tuesday evening. As South Carolina is a Republican stronghold, victory in the primary is a strong indication of success in the November general election. Graham and Norman had previously advanced from an August primary, where the winner needed more than 50% of the vote. The debate controversy erupted when Graham appeared unprepared for the topic, initially requesting the moderator to repeat the question, then admitting she lacked expertise on national security.

She said, "I am not that informed on national security... But I do support the military." The incident drew significant media and social media attention, raising concerns about her qualifications for the Senate. Graham later clarified that her focus is on addressing South Carolina voters' concerns rather than geopolitical issues.

She expressed concern about China, describing it as a military and economic threat to the United States. Graham's campaign received substantial support from Trump's super PAC, Maga Inc., which contributed nearly US$830,000 for voter outreach efforts. Despite the debate mishap, Graham received strong backing from the Republican base ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The South Carolina Democratic candidate, Annie Andrews, a former congressional candidate, will face Graham in the November general election.