Columbia, South Carolina – The closing day of the Republican U.S. Senate runoff campaign saw a significant cash boost for Sen. Darline Graham. The Trump‑aligned super political action committee MAGA Inc. reported a contribution of $827,000, according to recent Federal Election Commission filings.
How the money will be used
The funds are earmarked for text‑message blasts and phone calls aimed at reaching voters across the state. The infusion arrives as Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman finish their compressed campaigns for the GOP nomination that will determine the party’s candidate on the November ballot.
Campaign dynamics
Graham, appointed to the interim seat by Gov. Henry McMaster after the death of her brother Sen. Lindsey Graham, has faced criticism for spending much of the campaign season in Washington, D.C., rather than on the ground in South Carolina. In response, she held meet‑and‑greet events on Monday in Aiken and Seneca and a news conference with Governor McMaster, who endorsed her on Friday.
President Donald Trump, a longtime ally of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, has been the most vocal national figure backing Darline Graham. He traveled to Myrtle Beach for a rally with her on Friday and hosted a second tele‑rally on Monday, urging “every South Carolina patriot to go to the polls and vote for Darline Graham.”
Norman’s counter‑campaign
Rep. Ralph Norman, a former gubernatorial candidate, has focused his final push on faith‑based outreach, holding two events with pastors in Greenville, the state’s most populous county. Norman has repeatedly highlighted his congressional record supporting President Trump’s policies and criticized Graham’s reliance on outside money, describing the super PAC support as special‑interest interference.
In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Norman warned that “Washington elite” donors were dictating the terms of Graham’s campaign, suggesting she is a political newcomer being trained on the job. He also emphasized his own business experience and long‑standing service in elected office as qualifications for the Senate seat.
What’s at stake
The winner of Tuesday’s GOP runoff will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the November general election. No Democrat has won a statewide office in South Carolina in two decades, making the Republican primary the decisive contest for the seat.
Both campaigns are racing against time. Graham’s team is leveraging the new MAGA Inc. resources to broaden voter contact, while Norman is relying on his established network of local pastors and his record of supporting the president’s agenda. The outcome will shape the state’s representation in Washington and could influence the balance of power in the Senate.
Financial backdrop
MAGA Inc., which holds more than $400 million in its accounts, has been relatively quiet in this election cycle until now. Senate Republican leaders have urged the Trump‑aligned operation to fund candidates the president endorses, but the group has not disclosed a clear spending plan for the 2026 midterms.
As South Carolina voters head to the polls on Tuesday, the race underscores the continuing impact of national super PAC money on local elections and the importance of grassroots outreach in a tightly contested runoff.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
