Senator Darline Graham, R-SC, declared her intention to eliminate the Senate filibuster and voiced her full support for President Trump during a debate Monday in the South Carolina Senate primary. The debate marked Graham's initial electoral challenge in her campaign to fill the seat vacated by her brother, the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
Graham stated her co-sponsorship of the "Save America Act" and expressed a willingness to remain in Washington through congressional recess to ensure its passage. "I think we should stay up there and work and get it done," she said.
She indicated a readiness to abandon the Senate's 60-vote threshold to enact the Trump-backed voting integrity bill, a stance she noted differed from her late brother's position on mandatory voter-ID legislation. "I am all for – this is where I differ from my brother – getting rid of the filibuster to get this done, because eventually the Democrats are going to get rid of it anyway," Graham stated.
Graham was sworn into the Senate on July 14, shortly after her brother's death, to complete his remaining term, which concludes in early January. The former president subsequently encouraged her to run for a full six-year term and has endorsed her candidacy.
Responding to a question about reconciling Trump's agenda with South Carolina's interests, Graham affirmed, "I completely support the president’s agenda. I’m 100% behind him."
She is competing against Representatives Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, businessman Mark Lynch, and former congressman and governor Mark Sanford for the Republican nomination.
During the debate, Graham addressed remarks made by Lynch, who had criticized her late brother. "Mr. Lynch mentioned Lindsey Graham multiple times, and I don’t know if he’s afraid that Lindsey beat him and now his little sister is going to beat him, but i just don’t like hearing that," she said in her closing statement.
The South Carolina GOP Senate primary is scheduled for August 11.