Source: Politics<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail Friday to help save the candidacy of Sen. Darline Graham after a major debate gaffe raised questions about her readiness to replace her late brother and the wisdom of his endorsement.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, days before a Senate runoff featuring Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman, Trump urged voters to support the sister of his ally Lindsay Graham, the longtime foreign policy hawk who died last month.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re going to elect Senator Darline Graham to fight, fight, fight for South Carolina and to always put America first,\u201d he said. \u201cYou vote for her, you’re going to be very proud of that vote.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump also reflected on his close friendship with Lindsey Graham, invoking the memory of the stalwart of the South Carolina GOP who represented the state in Congress for 31 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Lindsey respected Darline more than any other person he knows, including me,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Trump pushed for Darline Graham\u2019s appointment to fill out the remainder of her brother\u2019s term, offering his endorsement before she even formally launched her campaign.<\/p>\n
But the value of Trump\u2019s endorsement has arguably never been weaker. He has seen some notable favorites fall in recent primaries \u2014 including in South Carolina, where Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette lost the state\u2019s gubernatorial primary to state Attorney General Alan Wilson.<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s choice for governor in Wyoming lost on Tuesday, along with two Florida Republicans who scored his endorsement in House primaries. Also among the recent losers: Mike Lindell, the former MyPillow CEO and close ally who fell short in the Minnesota gubernatorial primary.<\/p>\n
Those came after losses of Trump-endorsed candidates in Georgia, Michigan and Iowa earlier this year.<\/p>\n
The president touted Graham\u2019s focus on affordability and her support for traditional conservative social issues like the Second Amendment. But his primary pitch to Republicans in South Carolina was to treat Graham as an extension of himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I really want you to do is pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot. Just come and vote. It’s so important,\u201d he said. \u201cJust say that I’m on the ballot one more time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graham sailed into the runoff, topping second-place Norman by eight percentage points. But an alarming debate hiccup<\/a> over a question on the U.S.-Taiwan relationship in which she admitted she\u2019s \u201cnot that informed on national security\u201d and that \u201cnational security is not my thing,\u201d triggered a pile-on from Republicans in South Carolina and elsewhere expressing concerns about her qualifications.<\/p>\n Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a Norman supporter, slammed Graham for her debate answer. And former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford endorsed Norman<\/a> hours ahead of the rally on Friday, noting that \u201cthe stakes are too high\u201d to back Graham.<\/p>\n Trump appeared unbothered by Graham\u2019s admission, telling reporters ahead of the rally that her loyalty to the president\u2019s agenda was all that mattered.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was just being honest,\u201d Trump said. \u201cIt hasn’t been her thing, but she’s surrounded by very good people, and she said that she’s totally for the military.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe’s going to do what the military wants, and really what the president wants,\u201d he continued. \u201cShe understands that national security is my thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking ahead of the president, Graham attempted to sidestep the concerns about her resume by recalling Trump\u2019s lack of political experience before his 2016 victory.<\/p>\n \u201cThe critics say I shouldn\u2019t run for the senate. They say I’m not a politician. You know what I say? Guilty as charged,\u201d she said, prompting a wave of applause from the crowd. \u201cBy the way, President Trump had never served in an elected office before, and I think he’s done a damn good job.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s visit prompted an endorsement ahead of the rally<\/a> from Gov. Henry McMaster, who said Graham \u201ccontinued Lindsey Graham’s work, and stood firmly with President Trump to advance his America First agenda\u201d while serving out the remainder of her brother\u2019s term.<\/p>\n The president\u2019s trip to the state \u2014 a rare as-advertised campaign rally amid a sea of official White House events elevating his endorsed candidates \u2014 marks a significant expenditure of the president\u2019s political capital<\/a>. The president hasn\u2019t held in-person rallies for Republicans Senate candidates in many battleground states, opting instead for social media posts and telerallies. And he has yet to dip into the $403 million war chest at his primary super PAC, MAGA Inc., drawing some consternation from Republicans.<\/p>\n Trump told reporters on Friday he\u2019ll spend \u201ca lot of that money\u201d to boost \u201cRepublican candidates that I think are good,\u201d without being specific.<\/p>\n Trump warned of the stakes of losing control of Congress in the midterms, saying that Democrats will follow through on reported plans<\/a> to investigate and impeach him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re going to lose everything,\u201d he said. \u201cI’m going to have to go through impeachment.\u201d<\/p>\n Alec Hernandez contributed to this report.\u00a0<\/p>\n