Trump Boosts Graham’s Campaign with Major Financial Support

President Donald Trump initiated a late surge to support Senator Darline Graham as MAGA Inc. invested nearly $830,000 in South Carolina’s Republican U.S. Senate runoff. Notably, the super PAC led by Trump’s advisers allocated more than $827,000 for voter outreach through text messages and phone calls, revealed by federal campaign finance documents.

With Trump’s endorsement, Graham—sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham—is set to compete against U.S. Representative Ralph Norman for the GOP nomination in a special primary. “It’s going to be close, but we feel good,” Graham expressed to the reporters on Monday.

The financial support from MAGA Inc. stands out, especially since the political action committee mostly refrained from sponsoring primary candidates this year. Senate Republican leaders have urged Trump’s team to back his endorsees for the midterms.

Following a rally on Friday in Myrtle Beach for Graham, Trump made a final appeal on Monday to South Carolinians, endorsing Graham as the “perfect person” to continue her brother’s legacy. “I asked her to do it. I got her into this whole thing,” Trump declared during a tele-rally. “I have to make sure she gets in because there will be nobody better.”

Graham recently faced criticism over her remarks concerning national security during an August 18 debate. When questioned about U.S. interests in Taiwan and the South China Sea, she admitted, “national security is not my thing.” During a Monday interview, she defended her legislative background by comparing herself to Trump, asserting she is “not a politician.”

Just like President Trump on day one, I’m not a politician—and I’m proud of that,” Graham said in an interview with Ainsley Earhardt on Fox & Friends. Trump praised Graham’s candidness and underscored her emphasis on affordability, contrasting her with her brother known for his foreign policy expertise.

Patrick Casale, a Trump supporter and adviser to Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, shared with Newsweek that Trump’s endorsement stems partly from his “tremendous friendship” with Lindsey Graham. He expressed that Graham, with her namesake, might bring a fresh perspective, especially given her alignment with Trump’s approach.

Casale appreciated Graham’s debate honesty about foreign policy being outside her expertise, predicting Graham’s advancement to the November ballot. He noted that a Norman victory would not be seen as a major defeat for Trump, as Senator Rick Scott would not be bothered by such an outcome.

Kalshi traders gave Graham a 67 percent chance of winning the runoff compared to Norman’s 33 percent as of Monday night.

Trump’s endorsement power faces a challenge as Graham confronts Norman, who made his final campaign push with events in Greenville, a pivotal county. Norman advocated his consistent support for Trump’s congressional agenda while portraying Graham as inexperienced and a Washington elite sympathizer.

The winner on Tuesday will challenge Democrat Annie Andrews in November. Notably, Democrats have not secured a statewide elected position in South Carolina since 2006. Polls will close at 7 p.m. ET.