Trump rallies in Rock Hill for Sen. Darline Graham as South Carolina Senate race tightens

President Donald Trump is holding a rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Thursday for Sen. Darline Graham, the Republican appointed to her late brother's Senate seat, as she seeks a full term ². It is Trump's second visit to the state this month ¹².

Holding South Carolina is essential if Republicans hope to keep their Senate majority, and Trump's trip is aimed at pressing party faithful to show up for Graham in her unexpectedly tight race against Democrat Annie Andrews ¹. Graham has been tied with Andrews in recent polls ².

On tapeWCNC · Oct 29

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Trump posted about the rally on social media Thursday morning. "Big Rally in South Carolina for the wonderful Darline Graham, today," he posted. "She is fantastic. Lindsey is watching, and very proud of her!!!" ¹

Andrews, a pediatrician who previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress, asked voters to give a Democrat a chance in a state that has not sent one to the U.S. Senate in nearly three decades ¹. "Let's try something new for once," she said Wednesday. "If she doesn't do what she says she's going to do, you can fire me in six years. I promise that I won't let you down, that I'm going to win you all over." ¹

From Channel GOPAnnie Andrews makes her case to South CarolinaAnnie Andrews · 124 plays · captioned, with the source named

Graham is the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and was appointed by the Republican governor to fill the remaining months of her brother's term ¹. Thursday's rally is in the district of Rep. Ralph Norman, who lost to Graham in the special primary runoff in August and has been critical of her nomination and of Trump's role in the race ².

Trump won South Carolina by nearly 18 percentage points in 2024 ¹. Senate races are often an afterthought in the Republican stronghold, but Andrews has mounted an unexpectedly competitive race ¹.

On tapeWYFF News 4 · Oct 22

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A question about Alaska

As the president made his way to the rally, he was asked whether Democratic nominee Mary Peltola would be seated to represent Alaska in the Senate if she wins. "Well, you're going to have to see what happens," Trump responded. "It's hard to believe that she could even be allowed to run." ¹

PBS NewsHour notes that Republicans have made similar moves before: House Speaker Mike Johnson delayed swearing in Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona after she won a special election in 2025, preventing her from supplying the last signature needed to force a House vote on releasing the Epstein files ¹.

Trump is set to deliver remarks at 12:30 p.m. Thursday ². The rally comes five days before the Tuesday, Nov. 3, midterm election.

That matters because the Senate majority runs through a state Democrats are contesting, and the final-week rally is a test of Trump's pull with voters ¹². The pattern is that a race once considered safe for Republicans is now tied in recent polls, with the president's own party anxious enough to send him back twice in one month ¹².

The Record

1. Jan 1, 2025House Speaker Mike Johnson delayed swearing in Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona after she won a special election in 2025, PBS NewsHour reports ¹.
2. Aug 1, 2026Rep. Ralph Norman lost to Darline Graham in the special primary runoff in August ².
3. Oct 29, 2026Trump holds his second South Carolina rally this month, in Rock Hill, for Sen. Darline Graham ¹².

Sources

1. PBS NewsHour, “WATCH LIVE: Trump rallies in South Carolina for Sen. Darline Graham” (2026-10-29). pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-trump-rallies-in-south-
2. Washington Examiner, “WATCH LIVE: Trump rallies in SC for Darline Graham days before election” (2026-10-29). washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/4784131/

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