Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. — the candidate going head-to-head against Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., in the South Carolina special Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff — suggested in a campaign ad that his rival is the establishment's candidate.
"The establishment has already" selected "their candidate," he declared in the video, without naming Graham, his lone rival in the contest. "Same old playbook, same old insiders. I'm not their choice."
"South Carolina needs a proven conservative with a record of fighting for you. You shouldn't have to guess where your next senator stands: With me, you already know," Norman said in the ad.
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Graham and Norman, who finished first and second respectively in the Aug. 11 special GOP U.S. Senate primary, will now face off in the Aug. 25 runoff.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham last month to fill the Senate vacancy caused by the death of her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The new senator is backed by President Donald Trump.
"To suggest Donald Trump is part of the establishment is a joke. Senator Darline Graham has built a broad coalition of conservatives across South Carolina. Ralph is a party of one: himself," Graham campaign spokesperson Abby Zilch said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
"Ralph is a fiscal conservative when it is politically convenient. He voted no on a pay raise for our troops and benefits for veterans, but when COVID money benefited Ralph, all bets were off. Darline is a MAGA fighter who will help President Trump deliver. Ralph Norman will stand in the way," she added.
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Norman spokesperson Brittany Yanick said in a statement to Fox News Digital, "Ralph Norman is a businessman and the only proven conservative in this race. He has received wide support from conservatives including Senators Rick Scott and Mike Lee in Washington, D.C. to leaders across South Carolina, such as [former] Senator Jim DeMint and Former State Rep. Adam Morgan, among many others."
"South Carolinians shouldn't have to guess where their Senator stands on important issues; with Ralph, they already know," Yanick added. "His resume is his record unlike his opponent who is unknown and backed by Democrat donors. Next week, South Carolinians will vote for Ralph Norman to represent the Palmetto State for the next six years."
