Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) is running for a full term against Rep. Ralph Norman. The sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham was appointed to serve on an interim basis and announced she was going to go the whole nine yards not long after her swearing-in. That’s fine. We can debate family members assuming political office in this manner another time, since it’s not unusual and everyone does it, though it’s usually met with some controversy. But one thing that was evident with Ms. Graham is what she believes in. Sure, it’s good that she wants to nuke the filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act, but who is Sen. Darline Graham?
Maybe let this marinate a bit, right? What happened last night was unacceptable. Graham said that national security wasn’t her thing, basically. We’re fighting a war, Ms. Graham. This is the U.S. Senate. You’re proving that maybe a 6-year timeline might be a stretch. No, you did, with answers like this (via NYT):
Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) is asked at #SCSen debate about Taiwan and the South China Sea: "I’m just going to be honest here; I’m not that informed on national security, so — but I do support the military. My brother was in the Air Force for 33 years...I'm not a polished… pic.twitter.com/c6WsSjWz6C
— CSPAN (@cspan) August 19, 2026
🚨Stunning debate flop from Darline Graham!
— Adam Morgan (@RepAdamMorgan) August 18, 2026
“I’m just gonna be honest—I’m not that informed on national security.”
The main criticism is that she’s not qualified for this 6-year position.
Now she reveals she can’t answer basic national security questions! pic.twitter.com/xehHbf2S8N
Darline Graham had objectively one of the worst debate performances I’ve seen in a long time.
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) August 19, 2026
Ralph Norman is going to win.
At the only debate in a runoff election that will most likely determine the next senator from South Carolina, Senator Darline Graham stumbled over a question about the importance of Taiwan to U.S. interests, saying she was “not that informed on national security.”
The awkward moment, which prompted boos from the audience, underscored her biggest vulnerability in the race to succeed her brother, the late Lindsey Graham. Ms. Graham has the full support of President Trump, but she lacks the experience of her opponent, Representative Ralph Norman, who easily explained why Taiwan is an economic ally for the United States and worth protecting against China.
On Tuesday night from an opera house in Newberry, S.C., the candidates offered voters a stark contrast in their leadership styles. Aside from the foreign-policy stumble, Ms. Graham appeared poised and portrayed herself as a loyal ally to Mr. Trump. Mr. Norman, the vice chairman of the Freedom Caucus and five-term congressman, flexed his ultraconservative record to argue that he would defend the interests of South Carolinians, even if it meant breaking with the president.
[…]
It was in response to a question about whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are of national-security interest to the United States that Ms. Graham drew a blank.
“I’m just going to be honest here,” she said. “I’m not that informed on national security.”
Gasps and boos could be heard in the audience. Mr. Graham, among the Senate’s most hawkish defenders of U.S. national security, had dedicated his Senate career to foreign policy issues.
Ms. Graham offered that she supported the military and then leaned on her oft-repeated argument for voters who doubted her qualifications to serve in the Senate: Her status as a political outsider is an asset.
“I’m not a polished politician up here,” she said.
Ms. Graham has sought to differentiate herself from her brother by saying she is more focused on domestic issues that directly affect people like her.
One of her strongest moments came when she recounted living off Social Security benefits after her parents died during her childhood. She also animated the room during her closing statement, when she hit Mr. Norman — who ran for governor earlier this year — for not knowing whether he wanted to be in South Carolina or Washington.
By all accounts, Graham came ready to fight, whereas Mr. Norman wanted his opponent to do the talking and expose her inexperience. That happened, big league.
His top rebuttal line was “It’s silly season, folks,” which the Times added was done to avoid a boxing match, highlight his experience in public life, and avoid the image of him beating down someone who just lost his sibling.
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