South Carolina Congressman Ralph Norman announced Saturday that he is entering the race for the Senate seat left vacant by the death of Lindsey Graham, becoming the most prominent Republican to officially challenge Darline Graham Nordone, Graham's appointed interim successor, despite the fact that President Trump endorsed her Friday on Truth Social.
"I respect that," Norman said of Trump's endorsement of Darline Graham on Fox News Saturday morning. "He decided to go with Darline, who's a nice person, and he decided to go with her and I respect that, but that doesn't deter my plans. I'm in this to win."
Norman, 72, is a nine-year Freedom Caucus congressman from Rock Hill who finished third in June's South Carolina Republican gubernatorial primary. He dropped out after that race and now pivots to the Senate special election.
He is the third Republican to officially enter, joining Duke Buckner and Mark Lynch, with an August 11 special GOP primary as the likely target date.
An Emerson poll taken before his formal announcement showed him as the early frontrunner with 16.4 percent, with nearly a fifth of likely primary voters still undecided.
The unusual dynamic: Norman is running against Trump's chosen candidate in a state where Trump has historically been decisive.
He is betting that his Freedom Caucus credentials, his name recognition and his personal resources, he plans to invest significantly from his own pocket, can overcome the presidential endorsement advantage. Nancy Mace and Mark Sanford are among others still considering entering.