Ralph Norman Enters South Carolina Senate Race Despite Trump Backing Graham's Sister

Rep. Ralph Norman announced his campaign for South Carolina’s open Senate seat, positioning himself as a champion of Trump’s SAVE America Act even as the president has endorsed Darline Graham, sister of the late Lindsey Graham, for the position.

Ralph Norman announced Saturday that he’s running for the South Carolina Senate seat once held by the late Lindsey Graham, a move that puts him directly at odds with President Donald Trump, who has already thrown his support behind Graham’s sister for the position.

Norman, a five term member of the House and vice chair of the House Freedom Caucus, is centering his campaign on Trump’s SAVE America Act. In an interview with Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany, Norman said he plans to focus entirely on advancing Trump’s America First agenda from the moment he takes office, starting with passage of the SAVE America Act. He also pledged to push for eliminating the filibuster and described himself as a committed, vocal supporter of getting that agenda through Congress.

Lee explained his endorsement on X, saying the moment calls for a strong fiscal conservative who understands the importance of passing Trump’s agenda for the American people.

There’s also a broader political calculation at play. If Mace, Fry, or other House Republicans were to leave their seats to campaign for the Senate opening, it could strain an already narrow House majority that depends on every available vote for party line legislation through the rest of the session.

Trump made his support for Darline Graham clear in a Truth Social post on Friday, calling her a lifelong winner from an incredible family and giving her his complete endorsement should she decide to run in the special election. He closed the post by urging her directly to run.

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