Trump's Speech in Myrtle Beach Includes Criticism of Opponent, Focus on Military Support
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“Darline Graham has devoted her entire life to the people of the state, just like her brother. He was so— that’s all he talked about, was South Carolina. He was driving me crazy. I love the people!” Trump said to the crowd in Myrtle Beach. “Yet I got higher votes than him. Explain that, Darline.”
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Washington TimesSen. Darline Graham’s advantage in unpublished polling had narrowed in the run-up to Tuesday’s Republican Senate primary runoff in South Carolina, but President Trump’s rally on her behalf Friday in Myrtle Beach could provide a decisive late boost, according to the story.
NBC News“I asked her to do this,” Trump told the crowd. “She only knows how to put America first. She will be somebody you’re going to be very proud. You vote for her, you’re going to be very proud of that vote ... We need every South Carolina patriot to go to the polls and vote for Darline Graham, if you would.”
Washington ExaminerTrump was in the Palmetto State stumping for Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC), who is headed to a runoff primary election next week to replace her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The president was discussing how Democrats want to impeach him when the incident unfolded.
PBS NewsHourWATCH LIVE: Trump stumps for S.C. Sen. Darline Graham ahead of GOP runoff President Donald Trump is scheduled to travel to South Carolina on Friday to make a last-minute appeal for Sen. Darline Graham, his chosen candidate to replace her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, ahead of a Republican runoff next week.
The Guardian USBeside Scott, Donald Trump has endorsed Graham – and he traveled to South Carolina on Friday to rally for her. The president also brushed off Graham’s answer on Friday. “I watched that,” he said. “I thought it was a very honest answer, actually.”
Fox NewsTrump was in Myrtle Beach to campaign for Darline Graham ahead of Tuesday's South Carolina Senate runoff, urging his supporters to turn out even though his own name won't be on the ballot.
Politico‘I’m on the ballot’: Trump lends a hand to struggling Darline Graham The president sought to paper over emerging cracks in Graham’s campaign to succeed her late brother.
BreitbartThe president’s endorsement of Graham for a full six-year term did not secure her a majority of the vote in the initial primary, and some of Trump’s supporters at Friday’s rally told NBC News they still had reservations about her following a poor debate performance on Tuesday.
USA TodaySouth Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott called fellow Sen. Darline Graham "ready for prime time" days before she is set to defend her seat in an Aug. 25 runoff election for the GOP nomination.
The HillScott says ‘there’s no doubt’ Darline Graham is qualified to be senator Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said Sunday that “there’s no doubt” his fellow South Carolina Republican Darline Graham is qualified to be a senator after her recent debate slip-up on an answer about national security. “Senator Scott, is Darline Graham qualified to be a U.S. senator?” NBC News’s Kristen Welker asked Scott on “Meet the Press.”…
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She continued, “But I do support the military. My brother was in the Air Force for 33 years, so I will do everything I can to support the military. My dad was in the Army. I’m not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military.”
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NBC NewsShe added, “My brother was in the Air Force for 33 years, so I will do everything I can to support the military. My dad was in the Army. I’m not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise. But I do support the military.”
The Guardian US“I’m just going to be honest here. I’m not that informed on national security,” she said during the debate. She added: “National security is not my thing.”
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Trump suggested the MAGA faithful also take that approach in other elections as well, saying, “We have to get Darline and other people elected.”
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BreitbartTrump suggested the MAGA faithful also take that approach everywhere, saying, “We have to get Darline and other people elected,” according to coverage of the event by NBC News and other outlets.
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An hour later, the president punctuated the point again near the end of his remarks, telling voters to keep him in mind in the voting booth.
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NBC NewsThe president drove home the point near the end of his remarks about an hour later by telling supporters to think of him when they vote.
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During his nearly 90 minutes onstage Friday, Trump made no mention of the other person who actually is on the ballot in Tuesday’s runoff: GOP Rep. Ralph Norman.
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BreitbartDuring his nearly 90 minutes onstage Friday, Trump never mentioned Norman, according to the NBC report.
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She faces five-term Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., in Tuesday’s runoff. The winner will be a heavy favorite this fall against Democratic nominee Dr. Annie Andrews in this red state.
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HuffPostThe winner of Tuesday’s runoff will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in November and, given South Carolina’s history in recent decades, is very likely to win the general election.
Washington ExaminerSouth Carolina voters head to the polls on Tuesday to decide whether Graham Nordone or Norman will take on Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
Washington TimesShe faces five-term Rep. Ralph Norman, a staunch conservative and member of the House Freedom Caucus, in Tuesday’s GOP runoff election.
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Friday night’s rally site, Myrtle Beach, is the hometown of Congressman Russell Fry, who finished third on Aug. 11 with 20% of the vote. Trump quickly talked Fry — who will still be running for reelection for his House seat in November — into endorsing Graham.
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NBC NewsAlso speaking at the rally Friday was Rep. Russell Fry, whose district includes Myrtle Beach and who finished third in the initial primary, with nearly 20% of the vote. He has since endorsed Graham, and his voters could prove important.
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Norman, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, has campaigned on his conservative record and congressional experience, writing on X that the Senate “has become a place where good legislation goes to die” and casting himself as the only “PROVEN conservative” in the race, per the story.
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NBC NewsLike others in the Freedom Caucus, Norman has occasionally tussled with the White House by trying to steer Trump’s agenda to the right. Norman also backed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley over Trump in the 2024 presidential primary. But he has continued to emphasize his support for the president and his agenda during the Senate race.
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“I mean, she’s going to do what the military wants, and really what the president wants,” Trump told reporters. “She understands that national security is my thing, and she is a terrific woman who answered.”
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HuffPost“I think she’s going to do phenomenally,” Trump said. “I really think it’s amazing. You know, she’s never done it before, but she knows politics well. But she loves things. She loves our military. She loves things that have to do with greatness for America.”
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Darline Graham, for her part, only spoke for roughly three minutes, after 44 minutes of Trump speaking.
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The rest of the event included Trump attacking Hillary Clinton and former President Joe Biden, claiming the U.S. controls the Strait of Hormuz, and calling “affordability” a scam.
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“That person’s going home to mom,” Trump said as the crowd cheered. “Gonna get scolded because mom is voting for us.”
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Fox News"That's all right. That person's going home to mom. Gonna get scolded because mom is voting for us. You know, mom is voting for us," Trump said before quickly continuing his speech.
6 details only one outlet reported
Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 NBC News Scott’s remarks come just days after Graham’s viral moment at a debate against Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., whom she faces in Tuesday’s runoff.
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02 HuffPost “He talked about his amazing relationship with Lindsey Graham and how much time Lindsey Graham spent running around the world trying to make sure that Americans were safe here at home, but mostly abroad as well,” Scott said. “And then he pivoted to Darline Graham. And he said some really important things.”
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03 Washington Examiner Three days later, on Friday, Trump campaigned with her in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
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04 The Guardian US “Well, the answer is yes. And she does,” he said during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press. He went on to give an answer that did not detail any of her national security experience.
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05 Washington Times The president’s endorsement and get-out-the-vote rally, held in one of the state’s most populated areas, will undoubtedly provide a last-minute jolt to Ms. Graham’s campaign as she races to win the seat held for decades by her late brother Lindsey Graham.
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06 Fox News A protester stood up and interrupted Trump at approximately 7:28 p.m., before being escorted from the Myrtle Beach Convention Center by police and convention center staff, according to the White House pool report.
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Sources (11)
- huffpost
- pbs
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- foxnews
- thehill
- usatoday
- nbc
- guardian
- politico
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