President Donald Trump is expected to return to South Carolina this week, bringing the national spotlight to an increasingly high-profile Republican Senate runoff between Senator Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman.
Trump is expected to appear at a Friday rally in Myrtle Beach supporting Graham ahead of the Aug. 25 Republican runoff.
The visit prompted the South Carolina Republican Party to postpone a previously scheduled Senate campaign event Friday in Anderson County. Party officials said they are working to reschedule the Anderson event.
“From the beginning, the purpose of these Stump Stops has been to give Republican voters across South Carolina the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates,” SCGOP Chairman Drew McKissick said in a press release. “We want to give both sides a voice, and we are not going to hold a Stump Stop where only one of the two candidates can participate. We are working to find another date that gives both candidates that opportunity.”
Trump has endorsed Graham in the Republican Senate race, giving her a major boost during the final stretch of the runoff campaign.
Graham and Norman advanced to the runoff after neither candidate secured enough support to win the Republican nomination outright.
The presidential visit could also draw significant attention beyond the Grand Strand. Republicans across the state are now approaching the final week of voting in the closely watched contest.
The winner on Aug. 25 will advance to the November general election to face Democratic candidate Dr. Annie Andrews and Libertarian candidate Kāsie Whitener in the November election.
