Darline Graham stumbles on Taiwan question in S.C. GOP runoff debate
What's next: The misstep gives Ralph Norman a new line of attack before next week's runoff, with Trump set to campaign for Graham on Friday.
Sen. Darline Graham faltered during a South Carolina GOP runoff debate Tuesday when asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are U.S. national security interests. Graham, appointed last month after the July 11 death of her brother Lindsey Graham, told moderators she was "not that informed on national security" and added that it was "not my thing."
The exchange handed rival Rep. Ralph Norman an opening a week before the runoff election. Norman argued the answer showed Graham was unprepared for a six-year Senate term. The moment stood out because Lindsey Graham had long been closely identified with foreign policy and had visited Taiwan, including on a 2022 trip that included meetings with then-President Tsai Ing-wen and the island's defense minister. President Donald Trump has endorsed Darline Graham and is due in South Carolina on Friday to campaign for her.