Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-SC) sister faces a significant new obstacle in her race to replace her late brother after a political foe of President Donald Trump's vowed to block her, according to a new report.
Darline Graham Nordone, a political novice, received just over 32 percent of the vote and will face Rep. Ralph Norman in a two-week runoff, Politico reported late Thursday night.
Though she secured Trump's endorsement, Nordone's margin of victory remains, Politico reported.
"How much Trump decides to boost his preferred candidate could play a decisive role in helping push Graham to a runoff victory," the outlet stated. "Despite his pro-forma Truth Social posts and telerally on election eve, Trump has not publicly signaled whether he will appear on the campaign trail with Graham during the two-week runoff."
The timing couldn't be worse for Nordone considering she now faces a significant new obstacle: popular former Gov. Nikki Haley.
Haley, Trump's competitor in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries, told Politico she plans to back Norman all the way.
Haley is "prepared to do whatever it takes" to help Norman win, according to a person close to the former Trump appointee.
In a statement to Politico Playbook late Tuesday, Haley explained, "South Carolina deserves a proven conservative fighter whose character has been tested and whose word means something.”
The report adds that Haley's Stand For America PAC contributed $10,000 to Norman and has sent out frequent fundraising emails on his behalf, setting off a proxy battle between herself and the president over the future of the Republican party.