The sister of late Senator Lindsey Graham, Darline Graham, has defeated one of the most conservative members of Congress in the Republican Senate primary runoff in South Carolina. President Trump backed Graham’s candidacy soon after her brother’s passing. Seanna Adcox reports in the South Carolina Daily Gazette:
Voters elected Darline Graham to take her late brother’s place on November ballots, as the full backing of President Donald Trump helped overcome criticism of her political inexperience.
When The Associated Press called the GOP runoff election at 9:01 p.m., Graham had 52% of the vote over U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, with 89% of votes counted.
Graham’s win ensures the first elected female U.S. senator from South Carolina will be sworn into office in January. Sworn in exactly six weeks ago as the appointed senator, Graham faces Democrat Annie Andrews in the general election.
The 62-year-old younger sister of the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham led the 10-candidate primary two weeks ago with 33% to Norman’s 25%. But a runoff win was far from guaranteed. Some polling showed Norman ahead hours before precincts opened.
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