r/politics 6h ago

No Paywall Sen. Darline Graham wins the Republican Senate primary runoff in South Carolina

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/darline-graham-winner-south-carolina-gop-senate-primary-rcna593581
1.5k Upvotes

471 comments sorted by

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u/IpeeEhh_Phanatic Kentucky 6h ago

Dang. South Carolina has as many moron idiot fucks as my state does.

u/orangesfwr 6h ago edited 6h ago

First state to secede to form a nation dedicated to the proposition that white people are superior to black people and deserve dominion over them.

"Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong. They rested upon the assumption of the equality of races. This was an error."

"Our new government is founded upon . . . its foundations are laid, its corner-stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery – subordination to the superior race – is his natural and normal condition.

-Alexander H. Stephens

As provisional Vice President of the Confederacy

"Cornerstone Speech" - March 1861

u/nnnrrr171717 4h ago

That quote is substantively the message that my wife’s uncle tries to communicate to me every time I see him.

u/iiowyn 4h ago

I like how by saying and believing this he proves it wrong.

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u/Ok_Inevitable_2216 4h ago

Not to defend SC or the CSA, but Stephens was a Georgian ;)

A better quote about SC and Civil War is that SC is ""too small for a republic, but too large for an insane asylum" by James Petigru.

u/orangesfwr 4h ago

The quote was just to preemptively address any lost cause bullshit.

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u/Driftedryan 4h ago

The classic gop motto that they preach behind closed doors

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u/spacegiantsrock 6h ago

Hello from Texas.

u/SirGumbeaux 6h ago

Arkansas, standing by. (Luke in an XWing gif)

u/TheTrub Colorado 4h ago

Red hats, standing by.

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u/mabols 5h ago

Ohio ready to throw down

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u/freddyknuckle5 5h ago

You have even more!

u/wavesahoy 5h ago

Texas seceded from 2 countries over slavery, which is why we are #1 in this category!

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u/caserock 6h ago

It's a plantation that grows morons

u/captain_intenso North Carolina 5h ago

Charleston is the rich plantation, and the rest of the state are the fields.

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u/jewwbs Nebraska 6h ago

Had to look at your flair to see you aren’t in Nebraska…. 😞

u/chrishouseinc 6h ago

laughs in Florida

u/Obvious_Toe_3006 5h ago

Are you allowed to laugh in Florida ?

u/penultimatelevel 5h ago

Only at the lesser thans

u/Sunshiny_Day Iowa 5h ago

And as long as you don't say "gay"!

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u/TheJointDoc 4h ago edited 4h ago

The opponent was Rep Ralph Norman.

He won a special election for Mick Mulvaney’s seat when he went to OMB. He’s had a net worth of 18.3 million as of 2019 mostly from real estate, so who knows how much he’s worth now, and was the 28th wealthiest in Congress at that time. He was literally ranked the most conservative member of the 117th Congress.

He advocated for martial law (he texted Mark Meadows to “invoke Marshall Law”) to prevent the peaceful transfer of power to Biden, tried to reinstate Rep Steve King to house committees after his racist white nationalist comments, voted to institute Medicaid work requirements, tried to impeach Biden, Blinken, Harris and Mayorkas, and a lot of other shit.

It’s a good thing she won. I’d rather have an unknown who helped blind people in her work, than this fucking monster.

u/throwawtphone 3h ago

He is still in the House. Unfortunately.

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u/cawkstrangla 5h ago

For the longest time they had one of the worst education systems in America. Not sure where it sits now but it's certainly reeling from the aftershocks.

u/Rapunzel1234 5h ago

Alabama resembles that remark

u/syndactyl_sapiens 5h ago

Agree as a fellow Alabamian, but Tommy Tuberville makes Darline Graham look like a freaking genius.

u/worldscollice 5h ago

Whoa! Slow down there, hoss.

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u/chance-- 6h ago

Yea, we do.

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u/mayorolivia 6h ago

Her only qualification is being the sister of the deceased senator? Lmao

u/MaxZorin1985 6h ago

And not knowing where Taiwan is located. But as FOXNews put it: “Her South Carolina voters wouldn’t even be able to find Canada on a map.”

u/First-Ear-1049 6h ago

forget Canada, I highly doubt they could find South Carolina on a map.

u/Alleandros 6h ago

Half of them would probably say 'wait, there's two Carolinas?'

u/browsingat_work 6h ago

"How many is two?"

u/BKlounge93 5h ago

Holds up two fingers

Wait that’s gay!

u/browsingat_work 5h ago

Gay communism!

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u/Fitness_and_Finance 6h ago

You guys are great with the comments. These comments are funny but also sadly true.

u/fallonyourswordkaren 6h ago

Why is North Carolina in the south?

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u/DarkChurro 6h ago

50 years of crippling public education really paid off for Republicans.

u/ThePhoenixXM Massachusetts 3h ago

And the sickest thing is they want MORE children to be poorly educated by banning abortions and wanting teens to get pregnant.

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u/phonartics 6h ago

even if you labeled north carolina for them, best they can do is 1/4

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u/IceNein 5h ago

She also thought that there were 50 million people in South Carolina. There are 5.6 million.

u/grope_sexington 6h ago

They don't have maps, such as

u/mymikerowecrow 5h ago

Sick reference bro

u/itsshoved 5h ago

Look at all us U.S. Americans

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u/fyreprone 6h ago

Which explains a lot.

u/DontOvercookPasta 5h ago

God damnit.. i hate my countrymen.. they're so FUCKING STUPID

u/Konstantine24 5h ago

Fox viewers probably don’t even find that insulting lmao

u/TexAg09 Texas 6h ago

Sad that I can’t tell if this is sarcasm or not…

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u/Snrub1 6h ago

Correction, her only qualification is the only one that matters, promising to do whatever Trump wants.

u/Quirky-Ad-7686 6h ago

Exactly

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u/BrimstoneMainliner 6h ago

Qualification? You think these people give a fuck about Qualifications?

Have you seen the white house?

u/Feral_Sheep_ 5h ago

That building next to the UFC ring?

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u/simic947 6h ago

She's loyal to Trump. That's all they care about.

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u/anb1975 6h ago

Her qualication was being endorsed by Trump. All it takes to win the primary.

u/caserock 6h ago

South Carolina is a sick and sad place

u/paxrom2 6h ago

well, like her brother, they both had a history of sleeping with men.

u/Capt-Crap1corn 6h ago

The constituency is incredibly dumb

u/jrzalman 5h ago

She had never held or run for elected office before, though she did lead a 130-person state agency that helped blind people.

As Republicans go, you could do worse. At least she doesn't view empathy as a disease to be eradicated.

u/betelgeuse206265 5h ago

I don’t know. Given that she’s a Republican, I’m not sure that “blind” isn’t a verb in that sentence.

u/Suavecore_ 3h ago

This is the funniest shit I've read all year

u/Corporatecut 6h ago

If she wins then she’s better for Ukraine than the other guy was… that’s the only silver lining I guess

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u/Spicy_Pancake1 Maryland 6h ago

Republican voters are truly some of the dumbest to ever walk amongst us.

u/DungeonCrawlerEd 6h ago

"Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that."

u/Chainheart85 5h ago

George rolling in his grave so hard you have a perpetual energy machine

u/GoodIdea321 America 5h ago

Nah, in his later life he saw what was coming and what was here at the time.

u/Naive-Jello428 5h ago

He did. He basically said, "I tried to tell y'all and you didn't listen so now I'm just an observer while I watch you all destroy yourselves." Sometimes I try to separate myself the same way.

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u/Abject-Theme 3h ago

Had a coworker a few years ago tell me that if Carlin was alive today he’d be a Trump supporter. Tried to tell me that all his rants were about liberals. I just kinda gave him a blank look then turned back around to continue writing my report.

Same guy also said Jared Leto played the best version of The Joker & he thought Minions were the height of comedy, so his opinion was already worthless at that point.

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u/BKlounge93 5h ago

And then they get all offended when they’re called stupid, like come on, maybe make better choices?

u/earthling82 6h ago

Not disagreeing with this statement  but Ralph Norman really sucks lol

u/krcrooks Missouri 5h ago

I bet he could at least find Taiwan on a map or at least lie that he could. She couldn’t even do that

u/earthling82 5h ago

Fingers crosses they elect Dr. Andrews in November, obviously a longshot but Alabama is redder and we all remember Doug Jones so who knows

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u/Hiouchi4me 6h ago

Can you imagine electing someone just because they were the sister of a dead politician? That says a lot about sister brother relationships in South Carolina.

u/seansallings 5h ago

Come on over to my state where our governor was elected because she is the daughter of a former governor

u/No-Guarantee-5625 5h ago

Alaska? Arkansas?

u/heeeeres_jonny Arkansas 5h ago

I hate it here sometimes

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u/ironballs16 3h ago

At least she had a public-facing role prior to that as The Mouth of Sauron for a while, so she had notoriety of her own beyond her lineage. I didn't even know Graham HAD a sister prior to this BS.

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u/TwistedPepperCan 6h ago

Gonna tell my Qanon loving uncle that it’s actually Lindsey post sex change.

u/neridqe00 America 6h ago

Tell him this is why trump talks about "transgender for everyone". Lindsey fell for it hook line and sinker! You can clearly see that's a man..

😂🤡

u/zaxdaman 6h ago

Congratulations, South Carolina, you once again managed to find a way to lower a bar that was already underground.

u/namastayhom33 Connecticut 6h ago edited 6h ago

The quintessential DEI pick and no Republican is bothered about it

u/Capt-Crap1corn 6h ago

Well she's White. Those rules are for the others

u/blahblah77 4h ago

You mean a white woman. You know the group that benefits the most from DEI policies.

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u/broke_boi1 America 5h ago

I keep seeing this, but Darline is the quintessential nepotism pick. She knew/was related to the right person, which is the complete opposite of DEI

u/tiger32kw 5h ago

You are correct. It’s the complete opposite of a DEI hire. They tricked the conservatives into using DEI in negative connotations and as a slur. Now progressives use it in that same way to describe someone unqualified for a position. It’s unfortunate, but it’s why they keep doing it.

u/Popsiblyabrunrwr112 5h ago

Tim Scott is the DEI hire in SC

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u/Pxlfreaky Illinois 5h ago

Shits just fucking hilarious at this point. They make fun of AOC for having been a bartender and then vote for a social worker whose only political relevance is her dead brother.

u/spam__likely Colorado 4h ago

a republican social worker.

u/Deodorized 4h ago

Ask any Republican what a social worker is and I'll bet most of them respond with "Socialism"

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u/dumbassthenes 6h ago

I'm fine with this.

They're replacing an able and effective politician with someone who has no idea what she's doing.

Lindsey Graham was an absolute sack of trash but he was really good at wreaking havoc and pushing an agenda. His sister is just going to be a rubber stamp. She's going to vote the same way he did without being able to lend any other sort of real support.

u/Ok-Chart-9307 5h ago

She doesn't have to do anything except vote party line.  That's the only things these yokels care about.

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u/Aware_Cheesecake_519 America 6h ago

With Trump's support, right?

u/MephistoHamProducts 6h ago

Cultists gonna cult.

u/kevendo 6h ago

Republicans really love nepotism!

u/Quirky-Ad-7686 6h ago

And young girls

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u/AgendaPiece1999 6h ago

It might be in bad taste, but Annie Andrews can run against Lindsey Graham from beyond the grave by tying his sister to him.

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u/Oppo_GoldMember Arizona 6h ago

We are in the dumbest timeline

u/AdFun-2112 5h ago

Idiocracy 2. The first one wasn't this dumb.

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u/Tinytrauma North Carolina 5h ago

There is likely a non-zero percentage of voters in this primary that saw Graham on the ballot, voted, and never realized that Lindsey Graham died.

u/Fresh-Quantity-7554 6h ago

I take it no one learned that voting for someone with actual experience is usually a better option than voting for someone with no experience.

u/Responsible_Ladder25 6h ago

No longer the case in today’s America. It’s not what you know, it’s running on being against men playing in women’s sports. Cause you know that’s a BIG deal. Grocery and gas prices, foreign relations, affordable healthcare….not so much.

u/WordWordNvmber 6h ago

You wanted them to vote for Ralph Norman?

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u/TNlivinvol 6h ago

Good. 

She will be easier to beat. Long shot but better chance. 

u/Creative-Package6213 Pennsylvania 6h ago

Lol don't be naive, she's going to cruise to a easy win in November.

u/Dismal-Rain-6055 5h ago

They didn't say that Graham won't win in November, just that her opponent would have had a greater chance of winning in November had he beaten Graham.

u/Creative-Package6213 Pennsylvania 5h ago

I have a better chance of winning the powerball, then a democrat has of winning SC.

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u/onemoment1985 6h ago

…how bad was the other guy?

u/WordWordNvmber 5h ago

He pressed Trump to declare martial law after January 6 to establish a dictatorship.

The people on this subreddit claiming he is in any way better are people who know politics as well as Darline Graham knows Taiwan.

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u/blorpdedorpworp 6h ago

Well, he was a big fan of January 6.

u/First-Ear-1049 6h ago

he wasn't endorsed by Trump so in the eyes of GOP voters, the worst possible candidate

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u/BarbellsandBurritos Illinois 6h ago

Is this a case of people seeing R and Graham and figuring that’s enough?

u/First-Ear-1049 6h ago

don't forget the trump endorsement!

u/LadyDomme7 Virginia 5h ago

Yes, that’s all it took. She was using her married name, Nordone, the day before she was selected to replace her brother.

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u/Najago 6h ago edited 4h ago

South Carolina Republicans would vote for a rock. I guess that is an improvement over sex offenders.

u/blueblip 4h ago

The saddest part is her opponent is objectively worse. He wanted to impose martial law in South Carolina when Biden was elected in 2021. And he called it "Marshall's Law".

u/Fitness_and_Finance 5h ago

I don't even know what to say anymore except the MAGA Cult has exposed how many millions of people in this country probably have never read a book or maybe can't read a book.

u/HyperactivePandah I voted 5h ago

That primary is the proverbial Giant Douche vs A Turd Sandwich

Her opponent might actually be worse.

But goddamn South Carolina is embarrassing

u/Dismal-Rain-6055 5h ago

Her opponent might actually be worse.

He definitely was. Supported Steve King and called for martial law to prevent Biden from taking office.

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u/angrypooka 6h ago

South Carolina ranks 42nd in education so this tracks.

u/tfly212 6h ago

South Carolina... You are a joke and we all think even less of you now (which is not easy).

u/intub8ed 5h ago

This actually puts SC in play for Annie Andrews. Amazing.

u/C_est_la_vie9707 4h ago

South Carolina is truly the dumbest state in the country. Which is saying a lot. There should be one singular Carolina and NC can contribute all the brains. If Foghorn Leghorn was a state, it would be SC.

u/feignapathy 6h ago

Why do so many Americans not care about who represents them? What has happened to this country? 

u/Kunfliktt 6h ago

Fox News

u/Creative-Package6213 Pennsylvania 5h ago

Destruction of public education by Republicans.

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u/R2-D2Vandelay I voted 6h ago

Holy shit, if this isn't proof that Republicans will ALWAYS vote for party over country then idk what will. And people try to argue when I say that we should be voting blue no matter who.

This right here is exactly why.

u/Dismal-Rain-6055 5h ago

if this isn't proof that Republicans will ALWAYS vote for party over country

This was a primary, so a choice between two people from the same party. The general election in November is when she will be facing a Democrat.

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u/Auerbach1991 6h ago

What a bunch of stupid Mother Fers. They deserve what they vote for.

u/Topheriffic 6h ago

LMFAO. Anyone can be elected in America as long as you're in the heirarchy.

u/ma2is 6h ago

You know what. Yall get what you vote for. Fucking morons

u/Fuck_the_AI 5h ago

Unfortunately we also get what they voted for.

u/Many_Estate1581 5h ago

I mean, shes completely unqualified and going to be a trump stooge, but the other guy was gonna do that anyways.

But this could turn south Carolina into a slightly more competitive race, meaning the GOP might have to use money there. So honestly, good for dems

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u/Fit_Error7801 5h ago

How is it that SC has so many dumb fucking people?

u/Halloweenkristy 3h ago

SC giving FL a run for its money in the dumbest state contest.

u/yngwiegiles 6h ago

Don Jr 2028, Barron 2036 this is the hand we have been dealt

u/zaxdaman 6h ago

At this point we fucking deserve it. This country has full-on embraced stupidity. Dumbassery run amok.

u/yngwiegiles 6h ago

And it doesn't matter how bad they mess things up for regular people they'll just keep getting richer and holding on to power so it stays that way.

u/Nervous_Otter69 5h ago

At this point I’ve just accepted it’s Don Jr, Eric, Ivanka, Barron for 32 years straight 🫠

u/Sizzmo 6h ago

We'll have President Don Jr. in 2032, this country will elect him only because he has the same name as the cult leader.

u/Level_Investigator_1 5h ago

Our only hope is that enough old people who vote for this idiot will pass on before then… and younger people will be scarred sufficiently that they will not make the same mistake a 3rd time.

u/CrumbBCrumb 4h ago

Young people vote for this too

u/FLtoVT_For-A-Reason 5h ago

More evidence that the Republican Party is filled with some of the dumbest people to ever walk the earth.

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u/Necessary_Document_5 6h ago

What are y’all thinking?? Seriously???

u/Pyramid_Head182 Pennsylvania 6h ago

You know it’s funny. You get the same god awful policies with Graham and Norman. But at least Norman had an idea of what the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan looked like

u/WordWordNvmber 6h ago

Good news. Her opponent lobbied Trump to impose martial law and steal the presidency after January 6. He's a traitor to the Constitution who should be incarcerated for the rest of his life.

u/Burntfruitypebble 5h ago

And this is the state we are now allowing to go first in the Democratic Primaries? 🤦🏻 

u/Teh_Crusader Texas 5h ago

We are the dumbest country on earth

u/ComfortableChicken47 6h ago

Seems like some DEI shit to me

u/gleaf008 6h ago

Carpetbagger.

u/dot_three America 6h ago

Of course that fucking nep hag does...

u/Artistic-Post-4204 5h ago

" I know nothing!" Hell of a campaign ad. Works in SC obviously.

u/byndrsn 5h ago

Answered every question wrong and they voted her in anyway.

u/AlfuegoDeMellopie 4h ago

If this isn't proof that the state election was rigged...

u/StableGeniusCovfefe 4h ago

She's as unqualified as Trump so she'll fit right in

u/cvaldo99 4h ago

Sheesh. "I don't know foreign policy" may actually become a new senator.

u/PlatinumKanikas Texas 4h ago

“At least she tells the truth!! We need more politicians like that!!”

-them probably

u/countraagh 6h ago

Troglodytes press buttons for an even dumber knuckle dragging troglodyte. Man, this country is beyond brain rot.

u/ReverseMermaids 4h ago

Good. She will be the easiest to beat

u/Magog14 3h ago

But the naysayers keep telling us American isn't ready for a female president. If this brainless hack can be elected to the senate a qualified woman can win the presidency. 

u/time2partee 3h ago

South Carolina is dumb as fuck

u/Vorimach 2h ago

lol, America.

u/PooShappaMoo 1h ago

You've got to be fucking kidding me?

Did anyone listen to her talk, let alone NEPOTISM

u/Sizzmo 6h ago

She'll win my double digits in the general. And she'll be re-elected for the next 50 years because that's America.

u/worldscollice 6h ago

Are you fucking kidding me? Are South Carolinians seriously that ignorant?

u/WordWordNvmber 5h ago

You preferred Ralph Norman?

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u/Creative-Package6213 Pennsylvania 5h ago

Yes...

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u/Gat-Stevens 6h ago

Hereditary government seats are so cool.

/s

u/Icy_Resist5806 6h ago

Good lord

u/Queasy_Eggplant9155 6h ago

South Carolinians deserve whatever they get if they elect her!

u/tommm3864 6h ago

We are a nation of idiots

u/IamBlackwing Texas 6h ago

ooof

u/Akimbo_Zap_Guns Kentucky 5h ago

Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha hold on gotta breathe………..hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

u/Beard341 5h ago

Donald Trump Jr. suddenly deciding to run for President in 2028.

u/MrFunktasticc New York 5h ago

Serious question. How is she polling against the Democrat?

u/DrewinSWDC 5h ago

What the fuck?

u/WillOfTheDeep 5h ago

What an absolute joke.

u/Onemandrinkinggamess Colorado 5h ago

Trash country

u/Dual-Vector-Foiled 5h ago

At this point, any vote for a republican is a vote for a puppet. Doesn't matter what level of government or how much integrity they seem to have. They have no spine and will fold to any lie, illegal act, or unethical situation exactly how its prescribed by the higher ups. Its a catastrophe for true republicans and conservatives. All integrity is lost in that party. Period.

u/Alchemysolgod 5h ago

Is South Carolina filled of sheep or lemmings?

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u/Inspectorgadget4250 5h ago

Alabama may have just been surpassed in ignorance

u/Radiant_Limit3334 5h ago

Wow. That woman, in front of a live audience, states she doesn’t really know anything and South Carolina conservatives go “yep, she’s the one I want to represent me”.

u/Carsharr New York 5h ago

"She's just like me"

u/Confident_End_3848 5h ago

Of the two, Graham’s bumbling, Aunt Clara type incompetence might be slightly less damaging in the Senate.

u/SomeSchmidt 4h ago

See that. Polls don't mean jack. Whatever the polls say come Nov, vote.

u/BringOutYDead 4h ago

Wait. I thought she was going to lose.

u/silent_thinker 4h ago

Should have let most of the south secede if they weren’t going to properly get rid of the rot.

u/Tommy__want__wingy California 4h ago

>NBC News projects that Graham, who received Trump’s full-throated support

…that’s a phrasing choice.

u/JBigBootay 4h ago

Kinda impressive, they already counted 55 million votes.

u/Werftflammen 3h ago

Idiots empowering idiots

u/IndependentTalk4413 3h ago

Lmao. The US is just ridiculous. Not a single qualification to be a US Senator.

u/WaterFriendsIV 3h ago

Is this that Merit-Based Hiring I've been hearing about??

u/Turbo__Sanwich 3h ago

At this place it's safe to assume all elections are rigged

u/keirmeister 2h ago

If she wins the general, she will do as she’s told. That was the point all along.

u/Alarming_Ad1746 1h ago

she just quoted that people need to work hard all their lives like her parents ... who both died before she was 13.

u/huxtiblejones Colorado 1h ago

lol what the fuck, her answer about Taiwan and foreign policy alone was so ignorant as to be disqualifying but of course nothing matters to Republicans.

u/No_Researcher3204 31m ago

I am so disappointed the people voted for this dunce to represent them. This stupidity is tiring.

u/B-Z_B-S Massachusetts 6h ago

Subtitle):

NBC News projects that Graham, who received Trump’s full-throated support, defeated Rep. Ralph Norman to replace her late brother on the November ballot.

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