Trump Rallies Behind Darline Graham in Tight South Carolina Senate Race

President Donald Trump traveled to South Carolina this week to campaign for Darline Graham, the sister of his late ally Senator Lindsey Graham, as the closely contested Senate race enters its final stretch.

The rally, held in Pendleton, underscores how the once-safe Republican seat has become unexpectedly competitive following Lindsey Graham’s death in July. The governor appointed Darline Graham to complete her brother’s term, and Trump’s early primary endorsement helped her secure the GOP nomination.

“I’m asking everyone in South Carolina to get out and vote for a wonderful person, a great woman … a woman that Lindsey Graham said is the greatest person he’s ever met,” Trump said in a recent video message.

But Democratic challenger Annie Andrews, a pediatrician and medical doctor, has highlighted Graham’s limited political experience and uneven debate performances. “My opponent needs the highest level of federal government politicians to speak for her,” Andrews told a local Fox News affiliate.

Graham has countered by calling Andrews “the most radical liberal that’s ever run for state office in South Carolina.”

Recent polling shows Graham holding a narrow 2.7-point lead over Andrews, though Trump’s 18-point victory in the state during last year’s presidential election suggests strong underlying Republican support.

Trump’s visit follows his recent executive order easing sanctions on Russia, a move that drew mild criticism from Darline Graham. “Personally, I would choose to put the pressure on Russia to end the war and get gas prices down,” she said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The executive action represents a broader shift in the administration’s approach to the ongoing Ukraine conflict, with Trump and his allies increasingly pressuring Ukrainian leadership while offering concessions to Moscow. Lindsey Graham had been a vocal supporter of Ukraine aid, making multiple visits to the country since the war began.

The competitive nature of South Carolina’s Senate race reflects wider challenges facing Republicans heading into the midterm elections. With Trump’s approval ratings at historic lows and voters expressing concern over economic issues and foreign policy, several traditionally Republican states are showing signs of increased Democratic momentum.

This includes Kansas, where Republicancandidate Ashley Hinson is statistically deadlocked with Democrat Joshua Turek, and Texas, where Trump-backed candidate Ken Paxton trails his Democratic opponent by 1.7 points in a race being viewed as a tossup.

Source link