Republican congressman accuses Trump of pushing handpicked Senate candidate in South Carolina
Rep. Ralph Norman says he will not support Trump-backed Darline Graham in the South Carolina Senate race, accusing Trump of forcing his preferred candidate on voters.
In the final stretch of the South Carolina Senate contest, Rep. Ralph Norman publicly declared he will not aid Sen. Darline Graham, the candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump, and accused the president of attempting to force his choice on the electorate. Norman, who was defeated by Graham in the GOP runoff, said his chief of staff declined a request from Graham’s campaign manager to campaign together. Despite Norman’s stance, fellow Republican Rep. Russell Fry and the Republican National Committee have urged unity behind Graham to block Democrat Annie Andrews.
Trump recently campaigned for Graham at a Clemson rally, and the Senate Leadership Fund pledged $5 million in ads for her. The Cook Political Report downgraded the race to “Lean Republican,” reflecting a tighter-than-expected contest. Norman’s son, Warren, even wrote an op-ed endorsing Andrews, underscoring intra-party divisions.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights deep GOP divisions that could affect the outcome of a pivotal Senate seat.
How this story developed
- Oct 13 Democrats Target Iowa’s Swing Voters Amid Rising Cost Concerns
- Oct 16 Donald Trump will travel to Georgia on Friday to campaign alongside Republican Senate and governor candidates, underscoring both party unity and internal divisions.
- Oct 18 Sen. Elissa Slotkin said she wants high-profile prosecutions of Trump-era officials to discourage recent graduates from seeking jobs in that administration.
- Oct 21 Donald Trump publicly attacked Slotkin over her remarks.
- Oct 22 The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent Alaska from certifying its Senate results if incumbent Dan Sullivan loses, arguing that a challenger sharing his name was entered to mislead voters.
- Oct 22 Outside groups have contributed a total of $137 million to the Iowa Senate contest.
- Oct 23 Alaska Supreme Court upheld Daniel J. Sullivan’s placement on the ballot after a lower‑court ruling.
- Oct 24 Voters and advocacy groups filed a motion to dismiss the Justice Department’s complaint.
- Oct 26 Trump’s Friday rally in Dalton was set for 3 p.m. EDT.
- Oct 26 Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he will pay a cash reward to anyone who provides information on alleged election fraud in past contests and the upcoming 2026 midterms.
- Oct 27 A $25 million fraud whistleblower fund was announced alongside the cash‑reward offer.
- Oct 27 A federal judge placed the lawsuit on an emergency docket.
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