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. To spend $800,000 the Friday before Tuesday, the vote, is shocking.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.
Monday wasn’t the first time Norman criticized Trump for getting involved in the race. When he did so in his concession speech, his mention of Trump’s name drew boos from the crowd.
“Well, y’all, his policies are good,” Norman said. “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 added.
Graham is heavily favored to keep the seat in Republican hands.
On Monday, Norman did not endorse Graham when given the opportunity. After being asked how an undecided voter should fill out their ballot in November, Norman said, “Vote for Ralph Norman.”
Norman, who isn’t running for reelection in the House, had launched an ill-fated campaign for governor before he looked to join the Senate. He lost in the GOP primary there, too.
