ANDERSON, S.C. (AP) 鈥� U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman says it’s a 鈥渉ead scratcher鈥� that President Donald Trump endorsed Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina’s Republican , saying his experience in Congress and business 鈥� and consistent votes for Trump鈥檚 priorities 鈥� make him the stronger candidate to replace the late Sen. .
Norman’s comments came in a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press ahead of the Aug. 25 GOP runoff to pick a replacement for the senator, who last month. In a state that routinely elects only Republicans for statewide office, GOP primaries are often the most contentious competitions. Tuesday’s winner will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
Norman finished second to Graham in a 10-candidate on Aug. 11, though neither won the majority needed to win outright. AP’s request for a similar interview with Graham has not been granted.
Darline Graham was senator after her brother’s death. She opted to run in the special primary for a full term, something she said Trump 鈥� long an ally of her brother 鈥� urged her to do. Darline Graham says she’s accomplished much during her time as interim, has years of experience running a state agency in South Carolina and will continue to advocate for Trump’s goals in the Senate.
Norman said he鈥檚 skeptical that South Carolina voters have had enough time to vet the political newcomer for a six-year term, while he鈥檚 already been through a statewide campaign this cycle, coming up short in the . He also eschewed the millions being spent on ads against him, much of it from a super PAC that had been aligned with Lindsey Graham and now supports Darline Graham.
Norman backed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley over Trump in the 2024 presidential primary, but has since been a Trump supporter.
Here are excerpts from the AP’s conversation with Norman about the race. This transcript has been edited for space and clarity:
You oppose 鈥榚ndless wars鈥� and support Trump. What should the U.S. do next on Iran?
A: If you read the mood of the public across the country, it’s, 鈥渨e want gas prices down.鈥� They don鈥檛 understand what鈥檚 left.
(Trump) did a great job of taking out the nuclear threat that we had for 40 years. 鈥� but there鈥檚 still a lot of work to be done. The American people do not understand the Strait of Hormuz not being completely controlled by America. That鈥檚 what I hear. And gas prices, as a result, are staying high. And I think one of the worst things the president wants is the public to turn on him because he鈥檚 not ending it.
Now, what does ending it mean? Well, no one really knows. I mean, does it mean, just a remnant of leaders that are opposed to him? Does it mean bombing? He mentioned that he was going to take out the electrical supplies. He was going to decimate the country. Well, that hasn鈥檛 happened. So, I think it鈥檚 a communication issue that he needs to get involved with.
So I think he鈥檇 be doing himself a big favor to explain more now. He says it鈥檚 under no timeline. Well, when the public turns on you, they turn on you.
How does Trump’s support for Graham complicate your campaign?
A: Imagine if I went to (head football coach) Dabo Swinney at Clemson and any of the coaches and said: 鈥淟ook, I got a prospect I want you to look at, and I want them to. They can start. I want you to sign them up. They can start for the next six years.鈥� 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the qualifications?鈥� 鈥淭hey鈥檙e kin to Tom Brady.鈥� Tell me how that analogy doesn鈥檛 work here.
It鈥檚 politics. It鈥檚 votes, and I鈥檝e stuck with it, and I will continue to.
Has Darline Graham done enough to let voters get to know her?
A: It鈥檚 not the fact that she hasn鈥檛 been in politics. Now, she鈥檚 worked at a governmental agency. I鈥檝e run a business. I鈥檝e made money and I鈥檝e lost money, and that鈥檚 the drawback for any politician. You need to have done that. I have demonstrated that I want to get the national debt solved, which is the cancer that I see is bankrupting this country, but by dodging debates, that鈥檚 going to hurt her, and it should.
You got to get out there and answer all questions.
She can run a campaign like she wants to. What鈥檚 happened? She鈥檚 told the Washington elite they鈥檙e dictating the terms because it鈥檚 not South Carolina money. Mine is my money and South Carolina鈥檚 money, so they鈥檙e dictating the terms and giving her the political answers, like Biden: Don鈥檛 show up, be in a basement. His was because he was senile. Hers is they want her to win this election.
The powers that be do not want Ralph Norman in there, and it would be questioned, what鈥檚 the return on investment that they鈥檙e having to come after me like that? What鈥檚 the return on investment for the president? If I were your typical politician, I would say, 鈥淣o, that makes me mad, I鈥檓 gonna stop him at every level.鈥� I鈥檓 not gonna do that. I don鈥檛 play like that. It would be horrible if Kamala Harris had won this. He saved the country, and I really think that. He should go on Rushmore. He really should. What he鈥檚 done, it took guts.
But this one is a head scratcher. I鈥檓 gonna win this election. We鈥檙e gonna win this election, and unless something happens that I, you know 鈥� I can just feel it. People are with us, and I鈥檝e got a record they can鈥檛 dispute.
Does support from Nikki Haley hurt you in a race dominated by Trump?
A: No. And I told the president it was a loyalty issue. I came in with Nikki. She鈥檚 from South Carolina, and he understands that. And again, anybody can take anything and use it to say that was a reason. Look, the minute she lost (the 2024 presidential primary against Trump), I called him, and my record since he鈥檚 been in office has been lock solid.
It鈥檚 because I believe in him. I just believe what he鈥檚 doing. Now I don鈥檛 like what he鈥檚 doing now, but he鈥檚 president. I give him all the leeway to do it if that鈥檚 what you want to do. But he鈥檚 done so many good things, right, to me.
Voters have to decide that. I mean, if they want to hold that against me, it鈥檚 out there. I鈥檓 not apologizing.
If elected, what would be your Senate priorities?
A: People bait us, 鈥淎re you gonna fire (Senate Majority Leader John) Thune?鈥� Well, it鈥檚 deeper than that. One, I wouldn鈥檛 do it to somebody that I wouldn鈥檛 have a conversation with first. When you fire anybody, you talk with them, and you come to an agreement. You either disagree or agree. I would get with Thune, who is a nice man, from what I’ve been hearing, say, 鈥淗ow can we work on getting passed? Now, if it鈥檚 still the same, 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have the votes. We鈥檙e not going to try anything,鈥� and then I鈥檒l just say, 鈥淲ell, fine, I鈥檓 going to work to replace you, and we鈥檒l see who that is.鈥�
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
