Sen. Darline Graham Nordone, a Republican candidate in South Carolina, faced criticism after admitting during a primary runoff debate that she is "not that informed" on national security issues, specifically regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea. The comments came Tuesday night during a debate against Rep. Ralph Norman.
"I'm just gonna be honest here," Graham stated. "I'm not that informed on national security. But I do support the military." She added that while national security is not her area of expertise, she would support military initiatives, referencing her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and her father's military service.
The United States has a long-standing policy of strategic ambiguity concerning Taiwan. The Taiwan Relations Act, passed in 1979 after the U.S. recognized the People's Republic of China, mandates the U.S. to sell arms to Taiwan to help it resist potential aggression. The U.S. acknowledges Beijing's "One China" policy but does not endorse its claim over Taiwan.
Nikki Haley, a former South Carolina governor who has endorsed Norman, criticized Graham's remarks on social media, stating, "Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Darline Graham admits she's not. This is not something you inherit. And it's critical in the U.S. Senate."
During her campaign, Graham had indicated a focus on domestic policy, a shift from her late brother's prominent foreign policy stance.
Graham also misstated the population of South Carolina during the debate, claiming it was 50 million and that half of them live paycheck to paycheck, which is a significant overestimation of the state's actual population. South Carolina's population is approximately 5.3 million.
Graham, 62, was appointed to fill her brother's term following his death on July 11. She is seeking a full six-year term and has received an endorsement from President Trump. She and Norman are competing in a special runoff election to determine the Republican nominee for the Senate seat. Sen. Lindsey Graham had won the regular Senate primary before his passing.