Rep. Russell Fry, a South Carolina Republican who ran unsuccessfully for Senate, is urging voters to back Sen. Darline Graham for a full six-year term as she heads into a contentious primary runoff.
“President Trump needs fighters and allies in the Senate who will show up every day and get results. I believe Darline Graham will be exactly that,” said Mr. Fry in a statement on Friday.
“Darline knows what it means to struggle, persevere, and keep fighting when life deals you a difficult hand,” he added of Ms. Graham, who has never been elected to public office. “Those experiences shaped her, and I believe they give her a real understanding of the challenges families across South Carolina face.”
Mr. Fry placed third in the special Senate Republican primary after the death of Lindsey Graham on July 11.
Like Ms. Graham, Mr. Fry promised complete alignment with the president, whom he referred to as “the coach” of the party. He won almost 20% of the vote.
Benefiting from Mr. Trump’s endorsement, Ms. Graham placed first with almost 33% of the vote. She was appointed to fill her late brother’s seat for the rest of his term by Gov. Henry McMaster at Mr. Trump’s urging.
But because she did not obtain an absolute majority, Ms. Graham will have to face off against runner-up Rep. Ralph Norman, who got almost 25% of the vote, on Aug. 25.
Mr. Norman, a fiscal hawk and hardline conservative, is running on a platform focused on the national debt.
In the first Senate debate, Mr. Norman indicated he would bring a different legislative style than Lindsey Graham, who was known for his zealous advocacy of military intervention.
“Foreign policy’s important, but we’ve got America to look after,” Mr. Norman said. “The debt in our country is not sustainable. We can’t have endless wars.”
He and Ms. Graham are fighting to consolidate the over 40% of Republicans who voted for other candidates.
Whoever wins the Republican nomination will face off against Democrat Annie Andrews and be well-positioned for a six-year term, as South Carolina hasn’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1998.
So far, Mr. Norman has acquired the endorsement of fifth-place finisher Mark Lynch, who got almost 6% of the votes in the primary.
Former Gov. Mark Sanford, who placed fourth with almost 15% of the vote, also ran on promises to focus on the national debt in the Senate. However, he has declined to endorse in the primary runoff, while leaving the possibility on the table.
South Carolina has rejected Trump-endorsed candidates before.
In June, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette came first in the Republican gubernatorial primary with Mr. Trump’s endorsement. But two weeks later she lost the runoff to the runner-up, Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Shortly before the runoff, Mr. Trump announced both candidates had his support, and Mr. Wilson won with almost 69% of the vote.
In this contest, Ms. Graham benefits from many of her brother’s political assets: his Senate and campaign staff, the support of his Super PAC, and the president’s endorsement.
Ms. Graham has described herself as pro-gun, pro-life, and aligned with Mr. Trump.
She has also indicated she does not share her brother’s intense focus on foreign policy and has broken from his position in favor of maintaining the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold.
Security is Strength PAC, which previously supported Lindsey Graham’s bid to extend his over three-decade tenure in Congress, is running an aggressive digital ad campaign accusing Mr. Norman of being a “career politician.”
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