Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., is casting his South Carolina special Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff against Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., as a choice between a grassroots conservative and an anointed favorite of the political class.
In a new campaign ad, Norman charges that "The establishment has already" selected "their candidate," pointedly adding, "Same old playbook, same old insiders. I'm not their choice." According to Fox News, the spot underscores Normans effort to frame the Aug. 25 runoff as a referendum on whether Republican voters will embrace a proven conservative outsider or ratify the decision of party power brokers in Columbia and Washington.
Norman, who finished second to Graham in the Aug. 11 special GOP primary, is leaning heavily on his record in Congress to argue that he is the reliable right-of-center 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," he says in the ad, appealing to voters wary of untested politicians.
Graham, appointed last month by Gov. Henry McMaster to fill the seat left vacant by the death of her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, enters the runoff with the advantages of incumbency and establishment backing. The new senator is backed by President Donald Trump, a fact her campaign is using to blunt Normans claim that she is the choice of the party elite rather than the conservative base.
Her team is pushing back aggressively on Normans narrative, tying him to what they portray as situational conservatism. "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.
Zilch further argued that Normans record does not match his rhetoric on fiscal restraint and support for the military. "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, casting Graham as the more dependable ally of the America First agenda.
Normans campaign, for its part, is emphasizing his business background and endorsements from nationally known conservatives to counter the charge that he stands alone. 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."
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