SC GOP rift: Write-in push for Norman challenges Trump’s pick — SkimNews
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- Avery Milton helped launch the Write-In Ralph movement to support Republican Congressman Ralph Norman over Senate nominee Darline Graham, citing betrayal over Trump’s foreign policy and Graham’s failure to engage grassroots conservatives.
- Darline Graham was appointed to fill her brother Senator Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat after his death on July 11 and announced her campaign for a full term three days after Trump urged her to run on Truth Social.
- Ralph Norman defeated in the August primary by Graham, has refused to campaign with her and stated she hasn’t earned voter support, fueling dissent among Upstate South Carolina conservatives.
- Write-in votes accounted for 0.1 percent of ballots in the 2022 South Carolina Senate race, but the current Write-In Ralph effort reflects deeper Republican factional tensions ahead of the November 3 midterms.
- Annie Andrews, the Democratic challenger, is tied with Graham at 48 percent in a late October poll, creating a competitive race in a traditionally deep-red state.
- Independents, who make up 30 percent of likely voters in South Carolina, favor Andrews over Graham by 20 points, highlighting a vulnerability in Trump’s MAGA coalition.
Why it matters: If Graham loses, it would mark a rare defeat for a Trump-backed candidate in a Republican stronghold, with the Write-In Ralph movement signaling that grassroots conservatives may prioritize independence over party loyalty. The race’s tight polling and high early turnout—nearly 950,000 votes—show a shift in voter engagement that could reshape GOP strategy in Southern states.
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