By Nolan D. McCaskill
WASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's bid to install Lindsey Graham's sister as South Carolina's next senator has met unexpected resistance from Republican voters and rivals, setting up a crowded primary that will test the limits of Trump's political influence in one of his strongest states.
After Senator Lindsey Graham died on July 11 at age 71 from a heart ailment, Governor Henry McMaster appointed his sister, Darline Graham, to serve the remainder of his term,
which expires in January.
Trump called the appointment a "fabulous tribute" and urged voters to elect her to a full six-year term in the August 11 special election, promising his "Complete and Total Endorsement."
Some Republicans say Darline Graham is a fitting caretaker for her brother's seat but oppose Trump's push to elect her to a full term, arguing voters should choose from a field that remains crowded despite the president's endorsement.
U.S. Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for governor, said South Carolina's conservative voters were upset by the president's endorsement.
"His candidate lost in the governor's race, and his candidate's going to lose in the Senate race," said Mace, who is supporting U.S. Representative Ralph Norman. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put in a tried and true conservative."
The president's endorsement "gets you into a runoff," she said, "but it doesn't get you to win. It's not enough to win a race anymore."
The runoff between the top two vote-getters will be on August 25 if no single candidate wins a majority.
DONORS QUESTION CREDENTIALS
Supporters say the most popular politicians in the state — including Trump and Senator Tim Scott — have spoken favorably of Darline Graham, who is leading in opinion polls.
In interviews, however, Republican donors said Darline Graham has hidden behind the grieving process and her brother's surname, noting how little she has engaged with reporters and how quickly references to her full name — Darline Graham Nordone — have disappeared since she was sworn in. They also say she lacks the credentials to merit serving a full term.
Graham's campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment, but she told Sean Hannity of Fox News that being a politician was not something she ever wanted.
"That was Lindsey's life, not mine," she said. "But when they asked, it didn't take me long. ... I knew that I had to step up. I had to carry on his legacy."
Graham will be one of five candidates at a debate on Monday night.
NINE CANDIDATES VIE FOR NOMINATION
At least nine candidates are seeking the Republican nomination, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, a former governor and a wealthy businessman who ran against Lindsey Graham in the original primary. A 10th candidate has challenged whether he can appear on the ballot.
A former aide to Lindsey Graham said rival candidates will tear into one another to emerge as the alternative to Graham's sister in a runoff.
The former aide rejected criticism that Darline Graham has run a low-profile campaign and avoided public scrutiny, noting how quickly Lindsey Graham's team had to organize funerals in Washington and South Carolina for an international figure while transitioning her from private citizen to senator.
"People will be really impressed when they learn more and see more of her," the former aide said.
Mark Lynch, a self-funding Republican outsider who got 134,000 primary votes in his longshot Senate bid, said voters are concerned that Darline Graham isn't qualified to represent the state because she has no record.
Lynch, Mace and others also disputed whether she's eligible to run, citing a state party rule requiring that candidates vote in at least two of the previous three statewide Republican primaries.
"People are furious" about "the coronation of Darline Graham," Lynch said. "It's OK that they picked her to be the interim senator until January but not to run for office."
Recent polls show Graham leading by a double-digit margin, with Norman, U.S. Representative Russell Fry and former Governor Mark Sanford competing for the second runoff spot.
Allies of Norman, who ran unsuccessfully for governor, say he is best positioned to win the Republican nomination in a runoff against Darline Graham because he has a long conservative legislative record. Norman's campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
A campaign consultant for Fry said voters see the 41-year-old as a generational change candidate who could shake things up in the Senate. Fry is a Trump ally who is considered a rising star.
(Reporting by Nolan D. McCaskill. Editing by Michael Learmonth and Howard Goller)
