COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Republican voters are returning to the polls Tuesday to decide who will replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on the general election ballot in November. After no candidate in a crowded field won outright in a Republican special primary earlier this month, the state is holding a runoff between Graham's sister, Sen.
Darline Graham, and Congressman Ralph Norman. The outcome of Tuesday's race will test President Trump's influence in the state. The past month and a half has been a scramble to replace the state's senior U.S.
Senator who had just secured the nomination in the June primary for his fifth U.S. Senate term before dying from a heart condition on July 11. South Carolina's GOP Gov.
Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve out the remainder of her brother's term following his death. She came in first place following a special election on Aug. 11 to replace him on the November ballot to run for a full term. But Graham failed to secure the amount of votes needed to avoid a runoff election.
The race is shaping up to be one of Trump's biggest bets of the midterm primary cycle. Trump encouraged Graham to run, endorsed her, and held a rally for her in South Carolina ahead of the runoff election. Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc., has also spent more than $827,000 on behalf of Graham.
"I'm doing this to honor Lindsey. That's why I'm here," Trump said at the Myrtle Beach rally on Aug. 21. "So, Darline, we got to win that race." Trump's significant personal and financial investment into the race is rare.
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