Trump pushes South Carolina GOP allies to back his Senate pick after primary setback

After the South Carolina Senate primary produced a runoff between Darlene Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman, Donald Trump began contacting state Republicans to persuade them to back his endorsed candidate. He called former governor and ex-congressman Mark Sanford, who has been a vocal Trump opponent, but Sanford indicated he remained undecided. Trump also phoned Rep. Russell Fry, a Trump ally who placed third in the primary and has not yet endorsed either runoff contender.

In addition, Trump weighed holding a rally for Graham in the Myrtle Beach area, which lies within Fry’s district, to tap into his supporter base. The effort comes as Trump faces criticism for backing candidates who have recently lost primaries in Michigan and Tennessee. Some GOP activists have even floated the idea of a dual endorsement for both Graham and Norman to preserve Trump’s influence within the party.