Darline Graham continues to be dogged by questions.

The gentlelady from South Carolina has shown little acumen for politics since Republican Governor Henry McMaster appointed her in July to fill her late brother’s Senate seat. Over the ensuing months, she’s deflected on important questions about national security, almost always turning the convo back to tired culture war issues like trans kids playing sports.

With the midterms less than six weeks away, she’s continued to quiver.

A political blank slate, Tr*mp quickly endorsed Darline to fill Lindsey’s seat, despite her profound lack of experience. If elected in November, she promises to be a rubber stamp for Tr*mp’s agenda.

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We know that, because she’s said as much.

During her appointment ceremony, Graham pledged to carry on her brother’s conservative, pro-MAGA, anti-LGBTQ+ legacy. “Lindsey has always been there for me,” she said, “and now I will be there for him.”

Lindsey Graham, who died in July at 71 due to a heart issue, was the Senate’s most notorious warmonger. In the weeks following his passing, video was unearthed of him cheerleading Tr*mp’s war in Iran.

“I almost cried,” said Graham after the initial round of strikes, one of which hit a school and killed 120 children. “How long have we been pushing for this?

Notably, when Darline Graham was asked about her views regarding China and Taiwan–a vital national security issue–she deflected. “National security is not my thing,” she added.

When the topics turned this week to even more aspects of her late brother’s legacy, she once again struggled to produce answers.

Related

She promised to carry on Lindsey Graham’s legacy. Now her campaign is imploding.

Cue the off alarm bells for Republicans! This could be the Senate flip nobody saw coming!

The gay question

If Lindsey Graham was most known as a warmonger, he was probably second-most known as a bachelor. The anti-LGBTQ+ Republican had never married, or been known to date anyone.

For years, the late senator was dogged with rumors about his sexuality. Since his passing, at least one person has talked about his allegedly less-than-hetero bedroom exploits.

Like many (alleged) gay Republicans, Graham’s sexuality was only an issue because of his voting record. Over his 30+ years in office, he was a steadfast opponent of LGBTQ+ rights.

Running through his inglorious record he… supported a federal constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality, opposed the Respect for Marriage Act, the Equality Act, same-sex couples’ right to adopt and trans participation in school sports.

On LGBTQ+ rights, Darline has picked up Lindsey’s mantle. When pressed on her baffling non answer about China and Taiwan, she said that South Carolina voters are most concerned about “boys in girls’ sports.”

When walking the Senate halls on Monday, a “citizen journalist” pressed Darline about Lindsey’s sexuality. Objectively, the line of questioning was tackless and cruel.

But then again, so were Lindsey’s views on gay rights.

“I’m not even gonna entertain that question,” Darline replied.

Interrupting the witness

Over the last decade of his life, Lindsey Graham was largely a MAGA rumpswab. But he did distance himself from Tr*mp on one important issue.

When it came to the 2020 election, Graham did not agree that it was “rigged” or that Tr*mp had won. It was one of the few admirable stands that he took.

So naturally, Darline ignores that. During a contentious back-and-forth Tuesday with Jack Smith, the prosecutor who investigated Tr*mp’s claims of election fraud, he recalled how Lindsey was a “patriotic public servant” and found Tr*mp’s statements to be “false.”

Before he could finish, Darline interrupted him.

To most people, Darline trampling over her late brother’s rare display of integrity is a puzzling move. But remember, she’s not in that seat to express her own views or stand for anything of substance.

She’s there to back up Tr*mp. But even in deep red South Carolina, voters seem tired of that.

It’s a race!

The latest poll out of South Carolina shows that Graham and her Democratic opponent are locked in a virtual heat. Graham had the backing of 43.4% of respondents, and Dr. Annie Andrews had the support of 42.3%.

With 8% undecided, it’s likely that Graham will still conjure up enough votes to win. But this race is closer than anybody expected.

When it comes to support, there’s an obvious enthusiasm gap. Andrews has raked in over $10.8 million for her campaign, while Graham has raised just under $350K.

Whether it’s flubbing important national security questions or yelling at a constituent for recording her at a public campaign stop, Darline Graham hasn’t shown he’s up for the job.

With Tr*mp’s approval in the toilet, that now seems to matter.