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Sen. Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman traded sharp attacks over experience, political ambition, campaign finance and policy differences Tuesday as the two Republicans faced off in a debate one week before voters decide who will become the party’s nominee for South Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat.
The runoff follows last week’s special Republican primary, in which Graham and Norman finished first and second but neither secured a majority. The winner will advance to the general election against Democrat Annie Andrews.
The race was triggered by the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, Darline Graham’s brother. She was appointed to temporarily fill his Senate seat last month and is now seeking a full term. President Donald Trump has endorsed her campaign.
The debate repeatedly highlighted the contrast between Graham’s decades of public service outside elected office and Norman’s roughly two decades in Congress and South Carolina politics.
Graham acknowledges limited foreign policy experience
One of the most striking exchanges came when Graham was asked about Taiwan, the South China Sea and broader U.S. national security interests.
Graham, who had never held elected office before her Senate appointment, acknowledged that foreign policy is not an area in which she has extensive expertise.
“I’m just going to be honest here — I’m not on national security,” Graham said. “I’m not that informed on national security, but I do support the military.”
“National security is not my thing,” she added.
Her comments underscore one of the central challenges of her campaign: distinguishing herself from her late brother, who spent years in the Senate as one of its most prominent foreign policy hawks.
Lindsey Graham was a strong supporter of Ukraine and Israel and repeatedly advocated tougher measures against Iran. He also supported military action against Iran and backed the Trump administration’s war against the country.
Darline Graham has instead emphasized domestic issues and said her focus would be on policies affecting ordinary Americans.
Trump’s endorsement has also provided her with a clear political framework on foreign policy.
“I fully trust President Trump when it comes to the war in Iran,” Graham said. “Iran is the weakest they have been in 47 years.”
She added that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon was her primary concern and said she trusted Trump to handle the issue.
Norman attacks Graham as an establishment candidate
Norman sought throughout the debate to portray himself as the candidate willing to challenge Washington’s political establishment.
“Washington is with her,” Norman said. “They’re not with me, nor do I want them. I’ve never been subservient to anything in Washington. Washington is broken.”
Graham responded by questioning Norman’s political ambitions and his decision to seek different offices in recent years.
“I think you’re confused, because I don’t know if you want to be in South Carolina or Washington,” Graham said, criticizing his previous campaign for governor before his return to the Senate race.
Norman, a longtime Republican congressman, has sought statewide office before. His campaign has emphasized conservative policies and close alignment with Trump on domestic issues while presenting him as an outsider to Washington’s Republican establishment.
Experience becomes central issue
Graham’s lack of elected experience was repeatedly raised during the debate.
She spent about three decades in public service in South Carolina, working on workforce issues and advocating for blind and disabled residents. But she had never previously run for public office and was not deeply involved in state or local politics before her appointment to the Senate.
That became particularly apparent during questions about national security.
Graham also misstated South Carolina’s population during a discussion of the state’s economic challenges, saying the state had “50 million people.” South Carolina has roughly 5.6 million residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Graham has sought to turn her short time in the Senate into a campaign asset, arguing that she has already accomplished significant work despite having been in office for only weeks.
In her closing remarks, she cited votes on Russia sanctions, conservative legislation and the confirmation of Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“More in 20 days than you have done in literally 20 years,” Graham said of Norman.
Candidates agree on Fauci and clash over COVID funds
Despite their broader differences, Graham and Norman agreed on several issues.
Both said Dr. Anthony Fauci should be imprisoned following his testimony before a Senate committee, where he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights.
“He ought to be in an orange jumpsuit,” Norman said.
Graham agreed but used the issue to attack Norman over his receipt of roughly $600,000 in COVID-19 relief funds while opposing expanded benefits for laid-off workers.
“That’s a bit concerning for me,” Graham said.
The exchange illustrated how both candidates are attempting to appeal to Republican voters who remain deeply critical of the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data centers emerge as another dividing line
The candidates also clashed over artificial intelligence data centers and their impact on South Carolina communities.
Graham said she supports data center development but argued that local governments and residents should have a role in determining where facilities are built and what rules apply to them.
Norman accused Graham of previously taking a more unconditional position in favor of data center development.
“Obviously, I just said I’m for data centers,” Graham responded, “but I also said that there needs to be community involvement, community guidelines, community guardrails — maybe you didn’t hear that part.”
The disagreement reflects a growing political debate in South Carolina and other states over the economic benefits of data centers, their electricity and water demands, and the authority local governments should have over large technology projects.
Republican runoff heads into final week
The winner of Tuesday’s Republican runoff will face Andrews, the Democratic nominee, in the fall.
Norman used his closing remarks to warn against what he described as the threat of democratic socialism and pledged to push the Senate to advance Trump’s legislative priorities.
He also criticized Graham for another debate that had been scheduled but later canceled.
Graham countered by highlighting her brief record in the Senate and arguing that her performance since taking office demonstrates that she can quickly become an effective senator.
The contest now enters its final week with both candidates seeking to define the other before Republican voters make their choice.
For Graham, the campaign centers on Trump’s endorsement, her record of public service and her argument that she can bring a different perspective to the Senate.
For Norman, the race offers an opportunity to emphasize his congressional experience, conservative record and opposition to what he portrays as Washington’s political establishment.
The Republican runoff winner will face the broader test of a general election against Andrews later this year.
