Former President Donald Trump appeared Friday evening at a rally in the Grand Strand to endorse interim U.S. Senator Darline Graham Nordone in her bid for a full six‑year term representing South Carolina. The event, held shortly after 7:30 p.m. EDT, featured the familiar sounds of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and chants of “USA! USA!” as Trump took the podium for an hour and nineteen minutes.
Trump’s endorsement and campaign messaging
Trump has supported Nordone since the unexpected death of her brother, the late Senator Lindsey Graham, on July 11, 2026. He posted on social media that she would seek the GOP nomination after Governor Henry McMaster appointed her to serve the remaining five months of Lindsey Graham’s term. Since then, Trump’s endorsement has become a central theme of Nordone’s campaign, with recent polls indicating that 93‑98 % of South Carolina Republican voters recognize her as Trump’s candidate.
During the rally, Trump praised Nordone, saying, “I asked her to do this… everyone loves her, everyone respects her. We’re going to elect Sen. Darline Graham to fight for South Carolina and always put America first.” He also lauded Governor McMaster’s appointment, calling Nordone “a perfect appointment” and urging her to run beyond the short interim term.
Policy focus at the rally
Beyond the endorsement, Trump turned his remarks to national issues that he says affect South Carolina families. He highlighted what he described as an “affordability crisis,” noting that egg and beef prices have fallen during his first term and that further declines are expected once the United States completes its conflict with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Trump also addressed two hot‑button cultural issues. He warned that men should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports and condemned what he called “transgender mutilation of your children,” referring to pediatric gender treatments. He warned that a Democratic takeover of Congress would lead to impeachment attempts and a “weaponizing” of the justice system.
Other Republican support
Congressman Russell Fry, who previously ran for the Senate seat, and U.S. Senator Tim Scott were on hand to show their support for Nordone, along with Governor McMaster, who formally endorsed her candidacy on Friday.
The rally was briefly disrupted when a protester shouted “kill your local pedophile.” Security escorted the individual from the venue, and Trump dismissed the incident, noting that the protester’s mother would “be scolded” for voting for the Republican ticket.
Election dynamics
Nordone’s opponent in the upcoming runoff is Congressman Ralph Norman. While Trump has historically been critical of Norman, he refrained from naming him directly at the Grand Strand event, offering only a vague reference to “the other person.” Late polling shows a tight race, with the lead shifting between the two candidates.
The winner of the Nordone‑Norman runoff will face Democrat Annie Andrews, Libertarian Kasie Whitener, Constitution Party candidate Mark Hackett, and several independents in the November 3, 2026 general election.
Original reporting: FITSNews — read the source article.
