Interim senator among nine Republicans in Aug. 11 special primary
LEXINGTON, S.C. — Sen. Darline Graham made her political debut before hundreds of Republican voters in South Carolina on Saturday, describing how she never envisioned a life in politics until after the death of her brother Lindsey Graham, according to the Associated Press.
Graham is serving in an interim role to fulfill her brother’s current term. She is one of nine Republicans seeking to replace him more permanently in a special primary election set for Aug. 11. As a relative political unknown, she is facing off against some of the state’s best-known GOP names, the AP reported.
Graham said she wants to work to promote the state and President Donald Trump’s policy priorities, according to the AP. She acknowledged Saturday that she has not spent decades in politics, but argued that she understands the real-world applications of the federal policy debates her brother knew well, such as budgeting and the cost of health care.
Graham also said that, like her brother, she is backed by Trump, who urged her to enter the race and has endorsed her, the AP reported.