Republican South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman appeared confused Tuesday about why President Donald Trump involved himself in a race in a non-battleground state.
Norman lost to Republican South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham in a 52.5% to 47.5%voteafter Trump threw his support behind her. The congressman suggested that Trump wasted his time involving himself in the race since it is a deep red state.
“The president got involved. He has that right. That’s his prerogative,” Norman said in his concession speech. “Y’all, his policies are good. I never understood why he got in this race. It is what it is, and I’ll accept it.”
Trump endorsed Graham and encouraged her to run for a full term. He held a rally with Graham Friday and a tele-rally on Monday, saying that because he “got her into this whole thing, I have to make sure she gets in.” He also endorsed businessman Mike Mazzei in Oklahoma, who won the nomination in the state’s gubernatorial primary.
Trump stated on Truth Social that he supported “two so-called underdogs” who both won.
“I supported and ENDORSED two so-called “underdogs” yesterday, one from South Carolina, and the other from Oklahoma, and they BOTH WON. Two great people!!!” Trump said.
Trump spent more time campaigning in South Carolina than in battleground states like Georgia, Texas and Michigan.
Graham raised over $346,000 between July 23 and Aug. 5, according to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC, spent over $827,000 on text messages and voter phone calls to support Graham.
It was rare so far for MAGA Inc. to spend large sums of money supporting individual candidates during the 2026 primary season. The super PAC was sitting on a war chest of around $400 million.
Norman received endorsements from Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Republican South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace, Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee, former Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC). Former Republican Virginia Rep. Bob Good endorsed Norman in a Tuesday X post, urging South Carolina voters to “reject birthright senatorship.”
Some South Carolina Republicans were blindsided by Graham entering the race, with some telling the Daily Caller that the party did not support her serving a full term.
While candidates endorsed by Trump had a high winning percentage in the 2026 primaries,Republican Florida congressional candidate Catalina Lauf lost to businessman Jim Schwartzel in an Aug. 18 primary despiteTrump’s endorsement.
In 2026 so far, 97% and 100% of Trump-endorsed candidates won their House and Senate primary races, respectively, Just the News reported. Trump’s gubernatorial-endorsed candidates had a lower win percentage than his congressional picks, including loses in Iowa, Minnesota and Georgia, according to Ballotpedia.
Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie lost to his challenger, Ed Gallrein, who received Trump’s endorsement. Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana lost their primaries after Trump endorsed their challengers.
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