Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) admitted she was “not that informed on national security” during a debate against Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) on Tuesday, one week before the two face off in a Republican runoff for the Senate seat previously held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham.
Graham, who was appointed to fill her brother’s seat after his death last month, made the admission when asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States.
“I’m just going to be honest here, I’m not that informed on national security,” she said.
Former South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley criticized the remark.
“Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Graham admits she’s not,” Haley said. “This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the U.S. Senate.”
Graham has previously outlined the differences between herself and her brother on foreign policy, saying in a July interview that she preferred to focus on issues that matter to “the average person.”
Norman, who is facing Graham in the August 25 runoff, told The Daily Wire that China poses a threat to the United States and argued that South Carolina voters should expect their next senator to understand the issue.
“Whether it’s spy balloons flying overhead or buying up land near South Carolina military bases, China continues to prove that it is a threat to the United States. South Carolinians deserve to know whether their next Senator has the know-how to lead on this issue.”
Graham also appeared to badly overstate South Carolina’s population during the debate while discussing affordability.
“There’s fifty million people in South Carolina, half of them live paycheck to paycheck,” Graham said.
South Carolina has roughly 5.5 million residents.
President Donald Trump is expected to campaign for Graham on Friday at a rally in Myrtle Beach ahead of the runoff.
Trump told reporters he likes everyone in the race, but endorsed Graham in honor of her brother.
“Just so you understand, I like the other people in the race. Also, they’re all Trumpers, but I endorsed her,” Trump said. “I think she’s great. It’s really in honor of her brother.”
“She’s really a very smart woman,” Trump added. “You know, Lindsey loved his sister more than anything else he would tell me about his sister. That she’s just outstanding. He actually said she is better than him. That was hard for Lindsey to say.”
Prediction market Kalshi has Graham’s odds of winning at 77%, down from around 90% before the debate.
The winner of the Republican runoff will face Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the general election.
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