Lindsey Graham's sister stumbles badly in South Carolina Senate debate

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on Aug 19, 2026

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The sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., stumbled badly in a debate in the GOP primary to replace him when she was unable to answer a straightforward question about Taiwan.

Darline Graham, who is favored in the Aug. 25 primary runoff against Rep. Ralph Norman, was flummoxed by the softball question about the strategic importance of the U.S. ally in the South China Sea.

“I’m just going to be honest here. I’m not that informed on national security,” Darline Graham said, before pausing to apparently gather her thoughts.

“But I do support the military,” she added.

Darline Graham, who has no previous political or government experience, was appointed to temporarily replace her late brother after his sudden death last month. Now she’s vying for a full six-year term and won President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

“My brother was in the Air Force for 33 years so I will do everything I can to support the military,” she continued, without even mentioning Taiwan or China. “My dad was in the Army. I’m not a polished politician up here, national security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military.”

Norman smoothly answered the question by discussing the threat posed by China and the need to support Taiwan. The conservative lawmaker also said he strongly supports Trump but opposes an open-ended war with Iran.

“She’s running for the United States Senate,” Norman told reporters after the debate. “You need to get fully versed in what issues you’re going to be dealing with.”

Darline Graham won a crowded primary but fell short of an outright majority, teeing up the run-off with Norman. The winner will be a heavy favorite in the November general election against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews.

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