Trump rallies for Graham in South Carolina ahead of runoff election

President Donald Trump rallied supporters in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on Friday to back Republican Sen. Darline Graham in her special primary runoff election. Graham is competing against Rep. Ralph Norman for the chance to represent South Carolina in the Senate in November, a seat left vacant by her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham.

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Just come and vote. Just say that I'm on the ballot one more time.

Trump urged the crowd to "pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot" and to "just come and vote" for Graham, despite her failure to secure over 50% of the vote in the initial primary. The president stated his visit was in honor of the late senator, recalling how he encouraged Darline Graham to run.

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I can't believe he's not here, even. I went to her and I said, 'You got to run, Darline.'

The campaign appearance followed scrutiny of Graham's qualifications after she admitted during a debate that she was "not that informed on national security." Foreign policy was a key issue for her late brother. Trump, however, defended Graham's honesty, telling reporters she is "very smart, and she was being honest."

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I'm just going to be honest here. I'm not that informed on national security.

Graham, who was appointed to fill her brother's term, addressed her critics at the rally, acknowledging she is "not a politician" but drawing a parallel to Trump's own path to elected office. Trump also highlighted Graham's focus on domestic issues, contrasting it with her brother's global focus. Senators John Barrasso, Tim Scott, and Rep. Russell Fry also appeared at the rally.

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All she was is being honest. She's very smart, and she was being honest.