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Trump may have endorsed Darline Graham, but GOP Senate hopefuls aren’t backing down
Republican Sen. Darline Graham has announced she will run for a full term in South Carolina's Senate race, seeking to keep the seat left vacant by the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham. Her entry, alongside President Donald Trump's endorsement of her candidacy, sets up a contest that both tests Trump's influence over the GOP and highlights that his backing has not deterred other Republicans from entering the race, ahead of a competitive primary.
Darline Graham was appointed last week to serve out the remainder of her late brother's term and made her announcement during an interview on Fox News' "Hannity", saying she felt she "can't just let that die." Her candidacy comes as a week-long filing period opens ahead of the state's primary on 11 August, with other Republican hopefuls also entering the race despite Trump's endorsement of Graham.
In short
- Darline Graham to run for full Senate term after brother's death
- Trump has endorsed her, but other Republicans are still running
- SC primary filing period opens ahead of 11 August vote
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Some would argue that Trump's endorsement of Darline Graham reflects genuine enthusiasm among Republican voters and signals the party's preferred direction. His backing represents significant support within the GOP base and lends credibility to Graham's candidacy; other candidates' continued entry despite this endorsement risks dividing the party and weakening it before the general election. From this perspective, honouring proven leadership endorsements and maintaining party unity are more important than pursuing every primary contest.
The case against
Others would contend that primary elections exist precisely to allow genuine democratic competition amongst candidates, regardless of individual endorsements. The seat is functionally open following Lindsey Graham's death, meaning willing candidates should have the right to contest it; allowing voters to compare different candidates through a full primary process strengthens the eventual nominee and respects the democratic principle that party members, not external figures, should determine party nominations. This view prioritises voter agency and competitive merit-based selection over deference to any single endorsement.
Explained simply
Darline Graham was appointed last week to serve the remainder of her late brother Lindsey Graham's US Senate term. Lindsey Graham had served in the Senate since 2003 until his recent death. This appointment placed Darline temporarily in her brother's Senate seat.
Darline has announced that she intends to stand for election for a full Senate term rather than serving out the remainder of her brother's term. She made this announcement on Fox News, saying she could not simply let the seat go. Republican candidates are now registering ahead of South Carolina's primary election on 11 August.
President Trump has endorsed Darline Graham's candidacy, an endorsement that normally carries significant weight with Republican voters. However, other Republican candidates have also entered the race despite Trump's backing. This competitive primary will provide a test of whether Trump's influence over GOP politics remains as strong as it has been in recent contests.
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