On Friday, a lifelong Republican didn’t hold back when explaining why he’s voting against the GOP. According to South Carolina real estate developer Warren Norman, he won’t vote for President Donald Trump-backed candidate Darline Graham because he’s sick of her fear-mongering and support for MAGA corruption.
“I am a conservative,” writes Norman, noting that his family has long been involved with politics – his father actually lost the GOP primary to Graham after Trump endorsed her. “I have voted Republican my entire life, and I still believe in what the Republican platform stands for: limited government, fiscal responsibility, individual freedom and personal responsibility.” And while he will vote for a handful of GOP names on his midterm ballot, he is adamant that he “will not be voting for Darline Graham for the United States Senate.” According to Norman, while he has sympathy for Graham’s recent loss of her brother Lindsey Graham, his decision “comes down to what I believe South Carolina needs in a senator, and what I’ve seen get in the way.”
“We need senators with the backbone to stand up to pressure from both parties,” writes Norman, “including their own, and the commitment to root out corruption wherever they find it.” This is a not-so-subtle dig at Darline Graham’s alliance with Trump, who is now synonymous with corruption – the issue a recent Fox News poll found is voters’ top concern. What’s more, asserts Norman, vast sums of money are being spent to “tear down the other candidate, make voters afraid, and sometimes simply make things up, instead of explaining and actually fixing problems. Lying and fear tactics are wrong.” As he notes, “Fear can win an election. It doesn’t lower an insurance bill, clean up corruption or make life more affordable for a South Carolina family.”
Trump and his allies are wielding the fear playbook against Democratic candidate Annie Andrews, says Norman, writing, “Millions are being spent to tell voters what to fear. Far less has been said about what Senator Graham will actually do for South Carolina, or whether she’ll stand up to the people funding her campaign when it counts.” According to Norman, he has spent time with Annie Andrews, and while they “disagree on a lot,” they “also agree on some important things, including fighting corruption.” For this and other reasons, he declares, “As of today, I’m leaning her way. It will be the first time in my life I’ve voted for a Democrat in a partisan election.”
Norman argues that he “can’t keep voting for the same playbook and expect a different result. In good conscience, I won’t. Real leadership sometimes requires change, and choosing something different is often how change actually happens. I believe the timing is right to do that now. That, ultimately, is why I’ve made this decision.” He concludes with a question for his fellow Republicans, writing, “I don’t expect everyone to reach my conclusion. That’s democracy. But when you choose who gets your vote, look past the attack ads and ask one question about each candidate: do they have the backbone to stand up for what they believe in and stand up against corruption, or will they be beholden to their party?”
