A grassroots effort in South Carolina to write in Congressman Ralph Norman for the US Senate is challenging Trump-endorsed Senator Darline Graham in her race against Democratic challenger Annie Andrews, as an October poll showed the candidates tied at 48 percent with just days until the November 3 election.
The Senate race followed the sudden death of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on July 11. His sister, Darline Graham, was appointed to fill the remainder of his term. Trump then urged her to run for a full six-year term on Truth Social, posting “RUN, DARLINE, RUN!” and promising his endorsement if she entered. Three days later, she announced her candidacy and went on to defeat Norman in the August primary.
That primary has left lingering divisions. Norman has told The Wall Street Journal, "You have to earn the vote. She hasn't done that," and has declined to actively campaign alongside Graham. The tensions are most acute in the state's Upstate region, where Norman has strong support. Avery Milton, a 28-year-old conservative who voted for Trump in the last three elections, told Al Jazeera he felt betrayed by the president over what he saw as broken promises, including a war on Iran. Milton is helping lead the Write-In Ralph movement, arguing the party effectively "installed" a candidate. "He stabbed us in the back during his second term," Milton said. "We don't necessarily want somebody that's a rubber stamp for everything."
Trump has made two trips to the state in three months to rally support for Graham, an extraordinary level of presidential attention for a state he won by nearly 18 percentage points in 2024. Despite this, an October New York Times/Siena College poll found her tied with Andrews at 48 percent among likely voters. John Connolly, a 77-year-old retiree, described Graham as “nothing more than a puppet.”
Leila Ali, a regional campaign adviser, said people get wrong that the Southern vote is a monolith, pointing to state Election Commission figures showing nearly 950,000 early votes had been cast, a record for early voting in a midterm election. The poll found that among the 30 percent of likely voters identifying as independents, Andrews led Graham by 20 points, highlighting a potential opening for Democrats in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998. Milton defended the write-in effort against potential blame if Graham loses, asserting, “that would assume that our votes would have gone to Darline anyway, and that’s just not the case.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- A split in the GOP's base could flip a solidly red Senate seat, directly impacting the Senate majority balance.
- The race is a high-stakes test of President Trump's endorsement power against genuine grassroots dissent within his own party.
- The success of the Write-In Ralph campaign could establish a template for primary losers in other states.
Background
Lindsey Graham represented South Carolina in the Senate for over two decades. His unexpected death on July 11 set off a political scramble. The appointment of his sister, Darline, followed a tradition of family succession, but her rapid pivot from temporary seat-warmer to full-term candidate with Trump's backing angered some grassroots conservatives who felt the process bypassed the primary electorate.
Key Perspectives
- Avery Milton / Write-In Ralph supporters: The party "installed" a candidate without earning the trust of the grassroots, and voters deserve a senator who will think independently rather than be a "rubber stamp" for party leadership.
- Ralph Norman: States plainly that Graham "hasn't done" what is required to earn his vote and has declined to campaign alongside her.
- John Connolly / Disaffected voters: Views Graham as a "puppet" who prioritises party loyalty over representing the interests of South Carolinians.
- Leila Ali / Regional campaign advisers: Cautions that political analysts often underestimate the diversity and independence of the Southern electorate, as shown by high early voting turnout.
What to Watch
- The final vote count on November 3, specifically the percentage of write-in votes for Norman.
- Whether national Republican entities intervene further to try and rally support behind Graham.
- How quickly the state party moves to heal the rift if Graham wins a narrow victory.
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- Partly supportedMilton argued that the party effectively “installed” a candidate.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Milton said he felt the appointment had effectively “installed” a candidate.”