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Darline Graham Faces Ralph Norman in High-Stakes South Carolina Senate Runoff/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Interim Sen. Darline Graham faces Rep. Ralph Norman in Tuesday’s Republican runoff to keep the South Carolina seat previously held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham. President Donald Trump has campaigned aggressively for Graham while also backing Mike Mazzei in Oklahoma’s competitive Republican gubernatorial runoff. The races will test Trump’s influence after several of his endorsed candidates lost Republican nomination contests this election cycle.

Quick Look

• Darline Graham and Ralph Norman are competing for South Carolina’s Republican Senate nomination.
• The winner will run in November in reliably Republican South Carolina.
• Graham was appointed to complete her late brother Lindsey Graham’s term.
• Trump campaigned with Graham in Myrtle Beach and urged supporters to vote.
• Gov. Henry McMaster, Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Russell Fry also support Graham.
• Norman is backed by Nikki Haley and Mark Sanford.
• Trump-backed Mike Mazzei faces Gentner Drummond in Oklahoma’s GOP gubernatorial runoff.
• Five Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidates have lost Republican primaries this cycle.
• Georgia is holding a Democratic runoff to fill the late Rep. David Scott’s House seat.
• The Georgia result will further narrow Republicans’ fragile House majority.

Deep Look

Graham and Norman compete for Republican Senate nomination

Interim Sen. Darline Graham faces Rep. Ralph Norman on Tuesday in a South Carolina Republican runoff that will determine the party’s nominee for the U.S. Senate seat previously held by her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly during the summer at age 71. Republican Gov. Henry McMaster appointed his sister to serve the remainder of his current term.

Darline Graham and Norman finished first and second in a special Republican primary two weeks ago. Neither secured a majority, sending them to a runoff.

The primary field also included Rep. Russell Fry and former South Carolina Gov. and Rep. Mark Sanford.

The runoff winner will advance to the November ballot in South Carolina, a state that reliably favors Republican candidates in statewide elections.

Trump campaigns for Darline Graham

President Donald Trump has given Graham his endorsement and traveled to Myrtle Beach on Friday to campaign for her.

Although Trump is not a candidate this year, the results in South Carolina and Oklahoma will test the strength of his influence over Republican voters and the effectiveness of his endorsements.

Graham draws support from leading South Carolina Republicans

Graham is supported by McMasterwho appointed her to the Senate after her brother’s death.

She also has endorsements from Fry, a close Trump ally in the House, and Sen. Tim Scott, South Carolina’s other U.S. senator and chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Graham has presented herself as a political newcomer committed to advancing Trump’s agenda and continuing her brother’s service.

If elected, she would secure a full term in the Senate rather than serve only the remainder of Lindsey Graham’s term.

Norman highlights conservative credentials

Norman has emphasized his conservative record and his support for Trump while questioning the president’s decision to endorse Graham.

He unsuccessfully sought the Republican gubernatorial nomination earlier in 2026 before entering the special Senate contest.

Sanford endorsed Norman after being eliminated in the initial primary. The former governor, known for his focus on government spending and the national debt, cited fiscal policy as a major factor in his decision.

Norman is also supported by former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during Trump’s first term.

Norman was the only member of South Carolina’s congressional delegation and the first member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus to endorse Haley over Trump during the 2024 Republican presidential primary.

Race viewed as test of Trump’s endorsement

Trump’s endorsement has not guaranteed victory in South Carolina this election cycle.

He initially backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Evette received the most votes in the June primary but lost the runoff decisively to state Attorney General Alan Wilson.

Days before that runoff, Trump endorsed Wilson in addition to Evette.

Oklahoma runoff presents another test

Trump’s influence is also being tested in Oklahoma, where he has endorsed former state budget secretary and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

Mazzei faces state Attorney General Gentner Drummond in Tuesday’s runoff. Drummond finished slightly ahead of Mazzei in a crowded June primary, but neither candidate won enough support to secure the nomination outright.

The winner will be heavily favored in the general election in Republican-dominated Oklahoma.

Gov. Kevin Stitt cannot seek another term because of term limits.

Several Trump-backed candidates have lost

Trump has emphasized the overall success of his Republican primary endorsements.

However, five of his endorsed gubernatorial candidates have lost Republican nomination contests during the current election cycle.

In addition to Evette, the unsuccessful candidates include Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Iowa Rep. Randy Feenstra, Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder and Minnesota businessman and former MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

Georgia Democrats compete for vacant House seat

Georgia is also holding a special election runoff Tuesday to fill the House seat left vacant by the death of Democratic Rep. David Scott in April.

Former Gwinnett County School Board Chair Everton Blair faces Marcye Scottthe late congressman’s daughter.

Both candidates are Democrats, meaning the winner will further reduce Republicans’ already narrow House majority.

The winner will serve the remaining months of David Scott’s term through the end of 2026.

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