Trump returns to South Carolina to back Graham in Senate race

President Donald Trump returned to South Carolina on Thursday to campaign for Darline Graham in her U.S. Senate race. This is his second visit to the state in the past month. The trip signals growing concern within the Republican Party about Graham’s ability to defeat Democrat Annie Andrews. South Carolina has not sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly 30 years, but Andrews is pushing for a change.

Andrews, a pediatrician, previously ran for Congress but did not win. She told voters to "try something new for once." Her message targets voter frustration with the economy, gas prices, and the war in Iran. These issues have put the Republican Party on the defensive in states where they typically hold strong leads.

Graham was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster in July to fill the remaining months of her brother, late Sen. Lindsey Graham, term. She became the Republican nominee for a full six-year term in August. During the Thursday event, Trump praised the late senator. "He was a great politician," Trump said. He then turned to his niece. "She’s got the gene."

Trump acknowledged that he pressured Graham to run when other Republicans wanted the seat. "I got you into this thing, Darline," he said. Graham spoke before the president. She commended him for delivering what Washington promised for decades. She warned that Andrews would throw the state’s progress away.

Andrews held a separate event in Fort Mill on Wednesday. She told voters that if they are unhappy with her work on Capitol Hill, "you can fire me in six years." She promised to win them over. "I promise that I won’t let you down," she said.

Local voters are weighing the race carefully. Brent Chaplin, a 37-year-old finance and accounting worker, registered as a Republican but voted for Andrews. He said it is hard to identify with the party right now. "You just can’t go and say I’m a Republican, I’m just going to vote Republican," Chaplin said. He urged voters to use "brainpower" to pick better candidates.

Benjamin Updegraft, a 32-year-old software engineer, expressed frustration about the seat staying in the Graham family. "The Senate is not an inherited position," he said. He noted that this is not a country where titles are passed down between families.

While in South Carolina, Trump also commented on races in North Carolina, Michigan, Texas, Minnesota, and Alaska. He focused heavily on the Alaska Senate race after The New York Times reported that Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign was involved in recruiting another candidate named Dan Sullivan. The same name is shared by the Republican incumbent. Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation into the matter.

Trump called the development a "conspiracy." He called for Peltola to be removed from the ballot and cast doubt on whether she would be seated if she won. Peltola, a former congresswoman, suggested the report was a distraction from issues like Sen. Dan Sullivan’s support of the war in Iran. She made these comments during a stop in Soldotna.

The final days of the midterms are marked by volatility as parties spend time and money to control Congress. A Trump rally scheduled for Saturday in Kansas has been converted into a virtual tele-rally. The event was planned to help GOP Sen. Roger Marshall, who faces a tight race against Democrat Adam Hamilton. Trump will hold tele-rallies in two dozen states in the coming days. These include Texas, Kansas, Iowa, New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.