President Trump’s Last-Minute Support in South Carolina GOP Senate Runoff

President Donald Trump provided a late boost for Senator Darline Graham as MAGA Inc. invested nearly $830,000 in South Carolina’s Republican U.S. Senate runoff. The super PAC, managed by Trump’s advisers, spent more than $827,000 on voter outreach through text messages and phone calls, as per federal campaign finance records. Graham, endorsed by Trump and sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, is up against U.S. Representative Ralph Norman for the GOP nomination in a special primary.

‘It’s going to be close, but we feel good,’ Graham remarked to reporters on Monday. MAGA Inc.’s financial involvement is notable, as the committee previously stayed away from funding primary candidates this year. Senate Republican leadership has nudged Trump’s team to engage more with midterm endorsees.

Trump, after supporting Graham at a rally in Myrtle Beach, made a final appeal for voters to support Graham. He described her as the ‘perfect person’ to continue her brother’s legacy. ‘I asked her to do it. I got her into this whole thing,’ Trump stated during a tele-rally. ‘I have to make sure she gets in because there will be nobody better.’

Graham faced criticism recently for her remark that national security was ‘not my thing’ during an August debate about U.S. interests in Taiwan and the South China Sea. On Monday, she defended her experience, comparing her journey to Trump’s, who also lacked political experience during his initial presidential bid. ‘Just like President Trump on day one, I’m not a politician—and I’m proud of that,’ Graham noted in an interview with Ainsley Earhardt on Fox & Friends.

Trump praised Graham’s response as ‘honest’ and highlighted her focus on affordability, distinguishing her from her brother, who was known for his focus on foreign policy. Patrick Casale, a Trump supporter and adviser to Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, told Newsweek Trump’s endorsement was partly due to his strong friendship with Lindsey Graham. ‘She may be a breath of fresh air in one area—and we know she will get along with Trump and act accordingly,’ Casale added.

He also appreciated Graham’s debate response about foreign policy, predicting she would advance to the November ballot. Still, he noted a Norman victory wouldn’t necessarily be a significant setback for Trump.

Kalshi traders on Monday night gave Graham a 67 percent chance of winning the runoff, against Norman’s 33 percent. The runoff will gauge Trump’s endorsement influence as Graham competes with the well-known Norman. On Monday, Norman completed two campaign events with pastors in Greenville, a county known for casting the most votes in statewide GOP primaries but often going against front-runners. Norman has promoted his congressional support of Trump’s agenda, framing Graham as inexperienced and supported by the ‘Washington elite.’

Newsweek contacted the campaigns of Graham and Norman outside regular business hours on Monday. The winner of the GOP runoff will challenge Democrat Annie Andrews in November. The last time Democrats secured a statewide elected office in South Carolina was in 2006. Polls are set to close at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday.