00:02What was expected to be a temporary appointment is suddenly shaping up to be one of the biggest
00:07Senate races of the year. Just days after being sworn in to fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's
00:13seat, Senator Darlene Graham says she's running for a full six-year term. Her appointment last
00:19week was widely viewed as a short-term solution after Lindsey Graham's death. But that changed
00:25Friday when President Trump publicly urged her to run. On Truth Social, Trump posted,
00:31For the good of our nation, I asked Darlene to run for the U.S. Senate. Run, Darlene, run.
00:36Graham made the announcement in an interview on Fox News last night with Sean Hannity.
00:41I've been, I'll continue to say I've been praying a lot, talking to my family. I feel like I can
00:48do it.
00:49I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes, absolutely.
00:56So you're inclined to get in, or have you even made a final decision?
01:00I've made a decision.
01:02Her decision to run is setting up what could be a crowded Republican primary.
01:07One potential challenger is already out. Congresswoman Nancy Mace announced she will
01:12not enter the race.
01:13I'm not running for the U.S. Senate. Not because I'm backing down from a fight,
01:18but because the one I'm already in matters right now.
01:22That still leaves Republican Congressman Russell Frye and Ralph Norman in the race.
01:27Frye is already pitching himself as Trump's strongest ally in the Senate, writing on X on Monday,
01:33I will be President Trump's favorite U.S. senator, and you will have a MAGA fighter you can count on.
01:38Candidate filing opens today. The Republican primary is August 11th.
01:42And in deep red South Carolina, the GOP nominee will be heavily favored to win the seat this fall.
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