Republican Loser Unravels at Trump for Meddling in Key Election Race

Reuters Ralph Norman, the South Carolina congressman who lost to Darline Graham last week in the state’s Senate runoff, amped up his displeasure at Donald Trump for endorsing Graham.

In the span of two minutes Monday on Capitol Hill, Norman, an ally of the president, told reporters five times that his decision to back Graham was “shocking.” “I’m a supporter,” said Norman, who in January 2021 suggested to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows that the president invoke “Marshall Law” to hold onto power.

“To get in a primary, to spend the millions of dollars he did—um, it’s his right to do that—but as many places as we’re in trouble with liberals, and he comes to South Carolina? Ronald Reagan would not do that.” When asked if he felt that Trump’s involvement was determinative, Norman agreed.

Graham won with 52.4 percent of the vote to Norman’s 47.6 percent.

“But to get on the phone and call congressmen to switch their votes, to promote somebody that, uh—she was kin with Lindsey, but uh, he didn’t know a thing about her,” Norman said.

“You all saw the debates.

But he’s got every right to do that.

It was just shocking to me.” On the Friday before the election, Trump, 80, flew to South Carolina to hold a rally with Graham, and followed that up on Monday with a telerally .

Trump also posted several times on social media, urging voters to choose Graham.

Additionally, the president’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., spent over $827,000 in pro-Graham voter outreach, Federal Election Commission filings show.

When asked by a reporter about that super PAC’s willingness to spend on a Republican-on-Republican race rather than on contests in swing states between Republicans and Democrats, Norman was at a loss.

“I don’t understand it.

I do not understand it,” the 73-year-old lawmaker said.

“He has done so much for this country, but this was—to get into a primary in South Carolina is shocking.