Write-In Ralph: South Carolina Republicans challenge Trump’s Senate pick
South Carolina Republicans are mounting a write-in campaign for Congressman Ralph Norman instead of endorsing President Trump's preferred Senate candidate Darline Graham, creating an unusual challenge in the upcoming midterm elections.
Charleston, South Carolina – Avery Milton, a 28-year-old Trump supporter from South Carolina, feels betrayed by the president and is now leading a grassroots effort to write in Republican Congressman Ralph Norman for the US Senate instead of supporting Trump-endorsed candidate Senator Darline Graham. Milton's disillusionment stems from Trump's decision to launch a war on Iran after campaigning on a promise to avoid new wars.
"He stabbed us in the back during his second term," Milton told Al Jazeera. His frustration is shared by many younger conservatives starting families and entering the workforce, who feel Graham has not earned their vote despite Trump's endorsement.
Graham's unlikely path to candidacy
After the sudden death of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on July 11, his younger sister Darline was appointed to serve out the remainder of his term, making history as the first sibling appointed to fill a Senate vacancy. Initially describing the role as temporary, Graham announced her candidacy for a full six-year term after Trump urged her to run on Truth Social.
Graham went on to defeat Republican Ralph Norman in the state's August primary elections. Norman has since declined to campaign alongside Graham, stating: "You have to earn the vote. She hasn't done that." The tensions are particularly pronounced in Upstate South Carolina, where Norman has considerable support.
She [Graham] never tried to reach out to everyday people here Upstate. And that spoke volumes about how this South Carolina GOP establishment feels about the grassroots conservatives. They just really don't care.
Independent voters and tight race
A New York Times/Siena poll conducted in October suggested that 30 percent of likely voters in South Carolina identify as independents. Among these voters, Democratic candidate Annie Andrews leads Graham by 20 percentage points. This points to a potential blind spot for Republicans seeking to consolidate support around Trump's MAGA coalition.
Despite Trump winning South Carolina by nearly 18 percentage points in 2024, he has made two trips to the state in three months to campaign for Graham – an extraordinary show of presidential attention. Polling now shows Graham and Andrews tied at 48 percent among likely voters as the November 3 election approaches.
For Democrats, this division offers a rare opening in a deep-red state where the party has struggled to compete. Even with the race tightening, Republicans like Milton are willing to risk a Democratic victory by writing in Ralph Norman on their ballot.
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