By Richard Cowan
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - South Carolina Republicans on Tuesday nominated Darline Graham to run in November's general election for her late brother's U.S. Senate seat, as she defeated Representative Ralph Norman in a primary runoff.
Here are some takeaways from the result:
TRUMP ENDORSEMENT PAID OFF
President Donald Trump didn't just endorse Graham – sharing a stage with her in South Carolina on Friday, he declared that he too was "on the ballot."
A day before the primary runoff,
he appeared to hedge his bets: For "a few" of the candidates he endorsed it was "almost impossible for them to win," he posted on Truth Social, but he felt "obligated" to back them. He did not specify which candidates he was referring to, though the post came amid concerns about the viability of Graham's campaign.
By late Tuesday, however, it was clear she had pulled it off. While Norman performed well in his home base of Greenville, Graham outperformed him in much of the rest of the state – including a resounding win in the area surrounding Myrtle Beach, where Trump campaigned with her last week.
It was a much-needed win for Trump, facing mounting public concerns over inflation, the conflict with Iran and an escalating trade war with Canada.
Only 33% of Americans approve of his performance, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, but Tuesday's result shows he still has singular influence among Republican voters.
The president's ability to boost turnout among his party faithful will be a key factor in determining whether Republicans are able to retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in November's midterm elections.
MAGA INC. MEGA MONEY
A political action committee, MAGA INC., established to support Trump, spent $827,711 to bolster Graham's campaign, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
While Trump has given his vocal endorsement to Republicans in races across the country, his PAC has rarely contributed to their campaigns.
It appears to have paid off for Trump, and could embolden MAGA INC. to keep the money flowing to the president's favored candidates in key races going forward.
GRAHAM AN UNLIKELY REBEL IN THE SENATE
The late Senator Lindsey Graham became a close ally of Trump's after a rocky start in 2016 when, as a candidate in the Republican presidential primaries, he referred to Trump as a "bigot" and "complete idiot."
He would go on to become a frequent golfing companion of the president and one of his most loyal supporters in Congress.
Darline Graham so far has followed in her brother's footsteps, and would appear to be another ally in the making for Trump. It is still unclear, however, whether Republicans will be able to hold onto their slim Senate majority next year.
Whether they do or not, Graham is looking like she could be in the mold of many first-term senators who have held to another tradition, keeping their heads down during their maiden year and following their leadership's desires.
(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Stephen Coates)
