The Republican Jewish Coalition threw its weight behind Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) on Wednesday, endorsing the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham in her bid for a full Senate term.
Coalition national chair Norm Coleman and CEO Matt Brooks praised Lindsey Graham as a stalwart ally of Israel and the Jewish community, saying in a statement that he “dedicated his life in service to our country and was the best friend of the Jewish people and for the cause of liberty in the US Senate.” They added, “We trust his beloved sister to carry the fight forward.”
Darline Graham was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to fill the seat after Lindsey Graham died suddenly at age 71 earlier this month. Initially tasked with serving the remainder of her brother’s term, she announced Monday that she would run in the Senate primary for a full six-year term. Memorials for Lindsey Graham are set for Washington and South Carolina.
“Darline Graham is ‘all in,’ ready to earn every vote and to work each day for the people of South Carolina,” Coleman and Brooks said. “She brings a lifetime of service outside of politics, from her career helping South Carolinians with disabilities to her leadership at the state level, and she will bring that same determination and grit to the U.S. Senate.”
In an interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity, Graham said that after “praying a lot” and consulting her family, she decided to run against Democrat Annie Andrews. “I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it,” she said. “Will it be difficult? Yes, absolutely.”
President Donald Trump has already endorsed Graham, calling her “a spectacular person, and a true American Patriot” on Truth Social. He wrote, “Lindsey was one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, and his sister shares his deep love of our Country, and the State of South Carolina.” Trump’s backing came shortly after her appointment.
But former South Carolina GOP chair Katon Dawson cautioned that the endorsement does not guarantee victory in the Aug. 11 special primary. “Endorsements help — I’d rather have it than hurt it,” Dawson told NewsNation. “It’s not a given that she’s going to win because of that endorsement. People are going to look or try to learn where you stand on certain things.”
GOP Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, along with businessman Mark Lynch, are also competing in the special primary. The crowded field suggests a competitive race to succeed Lindsey Graham, who was a dominant figure in South Carolina politics for decades.
