Washington, DC [US], August 26 : Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of late US Senator Lindsey Graham, secured the Republican nomination to succeed him on South Carolina's general election ballot, Politico reported.
Nordone defeated US Representative Ralph Norman in Tuesday's special Republican primary runoff, two weeks after both candidates emerged at the head of a 10-way primary field, the report added.
Her victory underscores the decisive impact of high-profile backing, as the US President went to great lengths to push her over the finish line, encouraging her entry with an early endorsement, standing by her after a debate fumble, and holding a rally in Myrtle Beach, a level of direct involvement rarely seen this election cycle.
Extending well beyond campaign appearances, the financial muscle behind her candidacy proved formidable. Politico reported that MAGA Inc., Trump's primary super PAC, poured over USD 827,000 into targeted phone calls and text messages for Graham, providing the kind of heavy backing that Republicans in competitive battlegrounds have eagerly sought.
The decisive outcome reaffirms that Trump's endorsement remains a dominant force in Republican politics when backed by total and active engagement.
Following the primary triumph, Graham will officially replace her late brother on the ballot in November as the Republican nominee, placing her on a direct path to securing a full Senate term in deep-red South Carolina.
This sustained backing was especially vital during the intensive two-week runoff sprint, when Norman and his allies targeted her over political inexperience following a foreign policy debate slip. However, sharing the stage with the President at a closing rally allowed her to seal the contest by reaffirming her direct alignment with Trump, Politico reported.
The win marks an extraordinary turn for a figure previously unknown in public politics. Having never held elective office, Graham was appointed to the Senate by GOP Governor Henry McMaster after Lindsey Graham's sudden death in July. Prior to her appointment, she had headed South Carolina's Commission for the Blind since 2019, following a tenure at the state's Vocational Rehabilitation Department.
In contrast, her opponent Norman, a House Freedom Caucus veteran with nine years in Congress, struggled to convert his legislative track record into votes. Politico noted that while Norman broadly supported the administration's policy vision, he had occasionally clashed with Trump over federal spending.
Ultimately, Norman's congressional background proved insufficient against Graham's momentum, while he simultaneously faced severe opposition from the solar industry, which deployed USD 1 million in targeted spending to derail his bid.