Trump-backed Darline Graham wins Republican Senate primary in South Carolina

In South Carolina, Darline Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, emerged victorious in the Republican Senate primary race for her brother's vacant seat in November. President Donald Trump played a significant role in her campaign, campaigning in the state himself. With this win, Graham is expected to succeed her brother in the November election.

Graham is currently serving as a temporary replacement for her brother, who passed away unexpectedly in July. She had never previously sought elected office. Graham's triumph is seen as a testament to Trump's enduring impact on the Republican Party.

Meanwhile, Republicans and Democrats held primaries in several other states, narrowing down their lists of candidates ahead of the midterm elections. South Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the Senate for many years. The midterms will determine which party controls the US Congress, thus shaping the second half of Trump's presidency.

Graham went head-to-head against Ralph Norman, a right-wing Republican Congressman. Norman attempted to portray Graham as a mouthpiece for Washington politicians. Norman, who endorsed Trump's primary rival Nikki Haley for the Republican presidential nomination, initially favored Haley over Graham in 2024.

Graham secured 52.5% of the vote, according to the BBC's US partner CBS News. In a post on X, she expressed her gratitude to her supporters and President Trump, stating she was "deeply honored and humbled" by the outcome. During her primary campaign, Graham admitted her lack of political experience, notably after stumbling on a foreign-policy question during a recent debate.

Political experts anticipate that Graham will go on to win the November election. South Carolina was not the only state holding an election on Tuesday to replace a deceased lawmaker. In Georgia, voters in the Atlanta area were to choose a successor for the late Democratic Congressman David Scott, who passed away in April. Marcye Scott, the daughter of the late congressman, was among the candidates running.

However, projections indicated she lost to opponent Everton Blair, who will serve out the remainder of the term until January. In November, two other candidates will vie to take over Scott's seat in the new year.