Thread: Graham Defeats Norman: Expedited return of illegals?

Last night, the late Senator Lindsey Graham's sister, Darlene alias Darline Graham, defeated ALIPAC-endorsed candidate Ralph Norman in the SC special GOP runoff election by 52.4% to 47.6%.

Special thanks to each of you who helped the Ralph Norman campaign directly and through ALIPAC at our request.

There was a flurry of activity behind the scenes when, in the televised debate between Darline and Ralph (View the entire debate HERE), some very interesting things came out during the immigration section, which starts around the 47-minute mark.

Darline Graham accused Ralph Norman of hiring illegals, and when asked about pathways to citizenship for illegals on US soil (Currently thankfully prohibited by law), said she was not like her brother Lindsey on immigration issues and wants them all deported. By contrast, Ralph Norman said he was for getting the illegals out of America but then having some kind of "pathway to citizenship" and "expedited process" for illegals to return legally.

This sounds just like the Touchback Amnesty plans of former Texas Governor Rick Perry, which ALIPAC opposed and ended his Presidential aspirations.

ALIPAC immediately wrote to both campaigns asking for clarification on their immigration positions in the hopes we could understand and help inform voters of what they both meant by these comments.

Darline Graham's campaign did not respond to our request at all, and Ralph Norman's campaign staffers sent us a list of his prior actions in Congress on immigration issues, which we already have. We replied asking what kind of pathway to citizenship and expedited process to return illegals Norman was talking about (a second time) and received no reply.

Something smells rotten in Denmark to us. We think Norman may be describing a plan that is already secretly in the works, so we sent the following request to DHS/ICE asking...

"Please provide us with the following information ...

1. The current number of illegal immigrants who have been directly deported by DHS / ICE in 2025 and 2026?

2. The current numbers of illegal immigrants who have participated in the self-deportation program in 2025 and 2026?

3. The current number of illegals who participated in the Trump administration's self-deportation process in 2025 and 2026 and returned to the US legally?"

DHS Responded with...

"In President Trump's first year back in office, more than 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S. because of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration, including an estimated 2.2 million self-deportations. As of August 4, we have now deported over 1 million illegal aliens and arrested over 1 million illegal aliens."

Which is not the information we requested.

If DHS/ICE does not tell us how many of the Operation Homecoming illegals they have sent home (200,000 according to Axios) have been given some kind of Touchback Amnesty "expedited return" soon, ALIPAC is considering filing a FOIA request to get this information.

It won't do America nor Americans any good to pay illegals $2,600 and a free flight to "self-deport" if they are coming right back in "legally"!!!


ALIPAC

P.S. We need immediate, strong support to keep the lights on and operations running at ALIPAC. Please support our efforts with contributions of $10 or more online or by mail.

Darline Graham secures GOP Senate nomination in South Carolina, continuing political dynasty

08/28/2026 // Willow Tohi // 260 Views

Tags: big government, corruption, Darline Graham, elections, Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham, political dynasty, politics, south carolina, Trump, Vote Republican

• Darline Graham won South Carolina's GOP Senate runoff with 52% of the vote against Rep. Ralph Norman's 48%.
  
  
• President Trump's endorsement and $830,000 in super PAC support proved decisive in the race.
  
  
• Graham, a political novice, will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the November 3 general election.
  
  
• Her late brother Lindsey Graham held the seat for 23 years before his sudden death in July.
  
  
• Graham's admission that "national security is not my thing" marked a stark contrast with her hawkish brother's legacy.

Trump endorsement propels political novice to victory
Sen. Darline Graham clinched the Republican nomination for South Carolina's Senate seat Tuesday, defeating five-term Rep. Ralph Norman in a runoff election that tested the enduring strength of presidential endorsements in GOP primaries.

Graham secured 52% of the vote against Norman's 48% in Tuesday's contest, according to preliminary results. The special primary was necessitated by the sudden death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, who passed away in July just hours after returning from a visit to Kiev.

The 62-year-old political newcomer now faces Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the November 3 general election. South Carolina has not elected a Democratic senator since 1998, positioning Graham as the heavy favorite to secure a full six-year term.

A rapid rise built on family ties and presidential support
Graham's ascent to the Senate came with unprecedented speed. Following her brother's death, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to fill the vacancy in July. Within weeks, President Trump urged her to seek the full term, transforming what initially appeared to be a caretaker appointment into a competitive campaign.

Trump campaigned personally for Graham in South Carolina and deployed his MAGA Inc. super PAC, which spent approximately $830,000 supporting her candidacy through text messages and phone calls. The investment represented a significant departure from the PAC's typical midterm spending patterns.

Tim Scott, South Carolina's senior senator, endorsed Graham after observing her first weeks in office, expressing confidence that she is "the real deal."

Foreign policy questions loom over candidacy
Graham's victory came despite concerns about her readiness for Senate responsibilities, particularly in foreign affairs. During a debate last week, she struggled to answer whether Taiwan and the South China Sea constitute national security issues for Washington.

"National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military," Graham said, acknowledging her limitations directly.

The admission contrasted sharply with her late brother's legislative legacy. Lindsey Graham spent 23 years in the Senate building a reputation as one of its most vocal foreign policy hawks, advocating aggressive U.S. posture toward Iran and Russia while championing robust support for Ukraine. Trump described the late senator at his funeral as "extremely hawkish," noting that he "never saw a war that he didn't like."

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who supported Norman, seized on the disparity following the debate.

"Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States' national security. Darline Graham admits she's not," Haley posted on social media. "This is not something you inherit. And it's critical in the U.S. Senate."

Inherited legislative agenda and domestic focus
Despite her acknowledged limitations in foreign policy, Graham has already engaged with her brother's signature legislative projects. Shortly after taking office, she helped reintroduce legislation targeting countries purchasing Russian and Iranian energy. The Senate passed the measure earlier this month.

Graham has emphasized domestic concerns during her abbreviated campaign, pointing to health care costs and affordability as priorities she heard repeatedly from voters while traveling the state.

"I'm not a polished politician," she said during the debate, casting her directness as a strength rather than a liability.

Her campaign narrative has centered on her working-class upbringing in central South Carolina, where she and Lindsey observed their parents operating a bar and liquor store. She cites those experiences as the foundation of her work ethic and problem-solving approach.

Election context and national implications
The South Carolina contest emerged amid broader midterm elections that have tested Trump's influence over Republican voters. In Oklahoma, another Trump-supported candidate, Mike Mazzei, won the gubernatorial nomination. Meanwhile, Alaska's gubernatorial primary advanced conservative media personality Bernadette Wilson to the general election.

Norman, a 73-year-old real estate developer and House Freedom Caucus member, mounted a challenge based on legislative experience and conservative credentials, questioning what he characterized as Graham's "unknown" political identity. His campaign received Haley's endorsement, representing an unusual intra-party split from Trump's preferred candidate.

The runoff's outcome demonstrates Trump's continued ability to move Republican primary voters when he commits fully to a race. His investment in Graham's candidacy exceeded his engagement in any other GOP contest this year, motivated in part by his close personal relationship with the late senator.

Legacy and future outlook
Graham's victory ensures the continuation of a political dynasty that has represented South Carolina in the Senate for more than two decades. Her path forward, however, involves navigating between honoring her brother's legacy and establishing her own independent identity in a chamber that demands expertise across complex policy domains.

The general election campaign will test whether Graham can translate her primary success into a convincing November mandate. While Republicans retain structural advantages in the state, her preparedness for Senate responsibilities will likely remain a subject of scrutiny, particularly regarding national security matters she has acknowledged she does not fully grasp.

Her acknowledgment of those limitations, combined with Trump's decisive endorsement, proved sufficient to overcome objections from party stalwarts who questioned whether family connections should translate into political succession. The November election will determine whether South Carolina voters share that judgment.

Sources for this article include:
RT.com
CBSNews.com
NYTimes.com

Darline Graham secures GOP Senate nomination in South Carolina, continuing political dynasty – NaturalNews.com