Ralph Norman: ‘My family is not going to vote for Darline Graham’

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said Wednesday he’s keeping his promise to support Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) at the ballot box on Nov. 3 but said his family will not.

In a radio interview with “ The Nashional Briefing with Kelly Nash ,” Graham’s GOP primary opponent reiterated his commitment to supporting Republican candidates in the state.

“I’m going to do what I said personally,” he said. “My family is not going to vote for Darline Graham. They’re just not.”

“Now, they’re grown and with their own children can do what they want, but I will because I promised to do that,” he continued. “But that’s about as clear as I can make it.”

When pressed by Nash whether he would stump for Graham, Norman said the senator’s team already approached his chief of staff with a request, which was declined.

“I would not do an event with her, and I made that pretty clear. When I conceded the race, I called her and congratulated her, but that’s the only time I’ve spoken with her.”

The Hill has reached out to Graham’s campaign for comment.

In his August concession speech , the congressman noted President Trump’s involvement in the race and said he “never understood” why Trump and the state Republican Party intervened to support Graham. During his radio interview Wednesday, Norman again reupped his criticism of the GOP’s support for his former opponent.

“It’s more than about Ralph Norman,” he said. “It’s about the future of this state and how candidates, if you flood it with money, you can put anybody in, and that’s what’s happened with Darline Graham in my opinion.”

The president is set to campaign for Graham on Wednesday evening at Clemson University in South Carolina, where the senator is engaged in a tight race to keep her seat in the upper chamber against Democratic nominee and pediatrician Annie Andrews.

The Cook Political Report , a nonpartisan election handicapper, shifted its rating in this race Tuesday from likely Republican to lean Republican.

“My message is vote your conscience, and let the chips fall where they may,” Norman said. “This race shouldn’t even be close, and it wouldn’t be if I were in the race.”