President Donald Trump called former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford on Tuesday and asked him to endorse Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC) in the state’s August 25 Senate runoff, according to a report.
Trump wanted to keep Republicans from consolidating behind Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Graham Nordone’s runoff opponent, and he made the ask on election night. Sanford broke with Trump years ago. That split cost him his House primary in 2018, and he went on to challenge Trump for the 2020 Republican nomination.
Sanford finished fourth on Tuesday. He gave Trump no commitment. That night, he told reporters he did not plan to endorse in the runoff.
Trump made another call, to Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC). Fry finished third, the Post reported. On Friday, he endorsed Graham Nordone.
“President Trump needs fighters and allies in the Senate who will show up every day and get results,” Fry said in a statement. “I believe Darline Graham will be exactly that.”
The Trump team is weighing a rally for Graham Nordone in the Myrtle Beach area before the runoff, three people familiar with the discussions told the Post. The event has not been finalized. Myrtle Beach sits in Fry’s district.
Some Trump allies have floated a dual endorsement of both Graham Nordone and Norman. The president has not ruled it out.
“They’re all Trumpers,” Trump told reporters Tuesday, “but, I endorse her. I think she’s great.”
South Carolina Republicans received texts Thursday carrying a Dynata poll that tested how a dual endorsement would affect their vote. It is unclear who paid for the survey.
Norman has the backing of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. She is “prepared to do whatever it takes to help him win,” a source close to her told the Washington Examiner. The two have a long alliance. Norman was one of just two House members to support Haley over Trump in the 2024 presidential primary. Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Mike Lee (R-UT) have also endorsed him, along with Turning Point Action and CPAC.
The push follows a difficult primary season for Trump-backed candidates. Trump issued a dual endorsement in South Carolina’s June gubernatorial primary. His initial pick, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, lost the runoff. Trump endorsed Graham Nordone last month and celebrated her advance to the runoff.
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