President Donald Trump made a significant investment in Senator Darline Graham’s campaign by directing a nearly $830,000 contribution from MAGA Inc. This last-minute financial support came just ahead of South Carolina’s Republican U.S. Senate runoff.
The super PAC connected with Trump’s advisors invested over $827,000 on texts and calls to rally voter support for Graham on Monday. This information is sourced from federal campaign finance filings.
Graham, endorsed by Trump and sister to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, is set to compete against U.S. Representative Ralph Norman. Their contest will determine who secures the GOP nomination in the special primary on Tuesday.
Graham expressed confidence to reporters on Monday, saying, “It’s going to be close, but we feel good.”
The involvement of MAGA Inc. is notable as the PAC had largely stayed away from endorsing candidates in this election cycle. Nevertheless, Senate Republican leadership prompted Trump’s team to support his midterm backers.
Trump rallied for Graham in Myrtle Beach on Friday and made another appeal for her candidacy through a tele-rally on Monday. He described Graham as the best candidate to continue her brother’s legacy and remarked, “I asked her to do it. I got her into this whole thing. I have to make sure she gets in because there will be nobody better.”
Graham has faced scrutiny for her comment during an August debate, claiming national security was “not my thing.” In a Monday interview with Fox & Friends, she defended this statement by comparing her political novice to Trump’s entry into politics. “Just like President Trump on day one, I’m not a politician—and I’m proud of that,” she remarked.
Trump supported Graham’s “honest” response and highlighted her focus on economic issues, in contrast with her late brother’s foreign policy priorities.
Patrick Casale, a prominent Trump supporter and senior adviser to the Nevada GOP, shared with Newsweek that Trump’s endorsement for Graham reflects his strong bond with Lindsey Graham. Casale mentioned Graham’s potential to offer a fresh perspective and align well with Trump.
The political analyst valued Graham’s candid debate response, acknowledging her lack of foreign policy experience and predicted her likely success in November’s ballot. However, a Norman triumph wouldn’t signify a substantial setback for Trump, he added. He explained, “I don’t think [Senator Rick Scott] would be upset if Norman wins, and I don’t think Trump would be as upset as you think. But on the surface, he supports her because of Lindsey Graham.”
The odds favored Graham for the runoff, with Kalshi traders assigning her a 67 percent chance of winning compared to Norman’s 33 percent as of Monday night.
The runoff serves as a test of Trump’s endorsement power since Norman remains a well-known competitor. He culminated his campaign efforts on Monday with events in Greenville, a county noted for significant primary voting turnout.
Norman has highlighted his record of aligning with Trump in Congress, and accused Graham of being inexperienced and supported by the “Washington elite.”
The campaigns for Graham and Norman were approached by Newsweek for comments after regular business hours.
The victor of the GOP runoff will challenge Democrat Annie Andrews in November. Democrats have not claimed a statewide victory in South Carolina since 2006.
Polls will close by 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Edit and contact Newsweek editors: Edward T. Cummins.
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