Darline Graham's Senate Bid Tests Name Recognition Against Experience Gap
Darline Graham's appointment to replace her late brother faces voter doubts about her readiness for a full Senate term.
When Darline Graham was appointed last month to fill the Senate seat left vacant by her brother Lindsey's sudden death, few in South Carolina had a negative word to say about her. But as Tuesday's special primary approaches, that goodwill is colliding with a harder question: is she ready for the job?
"I think Darline's wonderful," said Kathy Bustos of Mount Pleasant after a Republican forum last week. "But I'm not sure that she's really qualified or ready to be elected to the Senate."
That sentiment appears widespread among GOP voters weighing an unexpected choice. Graham, who spent years heading the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and working in state government, remains largely unknown in the state's political circles despite her brother's prominence.
President Donald Trump has endorsed her, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee is running television ads on her behalf. Yet Graham has been notably absent from the campaign trail, spending most of her time in Washington fulfilling her interim duties.
At a Friday meeting of the Fourth District Republican Club in Greenville, Graham sent a video message rather than appearing in person, saying she was "in Washington working hard for you" and promising to be "a great friend and ally" to Trump.
Some supporters see her Washington presence as a strength. "She committed to not missing votes," said Teresa Castrinos, who drove hours from Bluffton to a Florence event where Graham was expected. "I feel like she's putting South Carolina first."
Her opponents include Representatives Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, and former Governor Mark Sanford, making a runoff likely on August 25. Graham has participated in one televised debate, backing Trump's plan to change filibuster rules for strict proof-of-citizenship voting legislation, but skipped a second due to Senate business.
"I think it's a great honor for her to hold her brother's spot till November," said Gigi Bray of Charleston, who supports Sanford. "But it's time for a change. I don't think she has a lot of government experience."