Rep. Ralph Norman launches campaign to replace Lindsey Graham in Senate race

2026 ElectionRep. Ralph Norman launches campaign to replace Lindsey Graham in Senate racePresident Donald Trump endorsed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham, to run for the Republican nomination in the special primary election.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Rep. Ralph Norman said he'd hoped to get President Donald Trump's blessing to run for the seat but that the president's endorsement of Sen. Darline Graham would not deter him from running.Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 18, 2026, 3:20 PM EDTBy Alexandra Marquez and Zara MorrisRep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., announced Saturday that he plans to run in the special primary election to replace the late GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham on the ballot in November, just one day after President Donald Trump backed Graham’s sister in the election.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.“I’ll be throwing my hat in the ring, and you know, day one ... I will be laser-focused on passing President Trump’s America First, and it starts with the SAVE America Act. We’ll nuke the filibuster, and I will be a vocal, a vocal vote and a supporter to make this happen,” Norman told Fox News.Add NBC News to GoogleLindsey Graham's sister sworn in to Senate to fill his seat00:21Norman acknowledged that Trump has backed Lindsey Graham’s sister, Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., in the race.She was sworn into the Senate earlier this week after GOP Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to serve out the rest of the late senator’s term, just days after he died suddenly last weekend.On Friday, Trump urged Darline Graham to seek a full term in the Senate in a post on Truth Social, where he also offered her his “complete and total endorsement.”On Saturday, Norman told Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany, “I wanted [Trump’s] blessing to run and get his support. He decided to go with Darline, who’s a nice pers...