South Carolina Republican voters boo Trump’s name

U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes U.S. Senator Darline Graham (R-SC) onstage during a campaign rally for her at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S., August 21, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci

President Donald Trump's name was booed on Tuesday night at a Republican's rally in deep red South Carolina.

The Daily Beast noticed Tuesday night that when Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) conceded to Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.), he mentioned Trump's involvement in the race and the room booed him.

Graham won on Tuesday night in the special election primary runoff. She squeaked through the race with 52.5 percent to Norman's 47.6 percent.

Graham said in her victory speech, “Our victory would not have been possible without you. South Carolina truly is Trump Country.”

Norman came from another perspective, confessing that he didn't think that they were going to lose.

Norman said, “I hate it for the state.”

“But you know, the president got involved. He has that right. That’s his prerogative,” Norman continued.

The audience broke into loud boos.

“Well y’all, his policies are good,” Norman said in defense of Trump. “I never understood why he got in this race. But it is what it is, and I’ll accept it. Something good will come out of this. I don’t know what it is, but something good will come out of it. We’ll move on. But we could have broken the chain of so many things in a good way.”

“I don’t like it, but I’ll accept it,” he confessed.

He also mentioned that $8 million was dumped into the race at the last minute against him.

“I couldn’t come up with that much money," Norman said. "All of our money came from South Carolina and from my personal account.”

Norman lost the gubernatorial primary in June before throwing his hat in the ring for the U.S. Senate seat after late Sen. Lindsey Graham's sudden death.

“I will support her, Darline, as best I can,” Norman promised, but some in the audience laughed at the remark as he stumbled over her name. The Beast noticed that when Norman's wife saw him refer to Graham as the winning candidate, she shouted out, "Whatever her last name is!"

Forecasters consider the seat a safe or solid Republican seat, and prediction markets give Republicans roughly an 87–88 percent chance of keeping it immediately after her victory. Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate race in South Carolina since 1998.

Democrat Annie Andrews has had months to organize after winning the nomination outright in June, while the GOP spent August in a crowded primary and runoff, PBS News reported. That gives Democrats a plausible contrast, saying that an experienced physician versus a Trump-backed novice, given the healthcare crisis in the U.S.

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