President Donald Trump is set to hold a rally in Clemson, South Carolina, on Wednesday to support Sen. Darline Graham and other Republican candidates. The Republican National Committee announced the event on Thursday evening, with the scheduled start time at 7 p.m. The location within Clemson was not specified.
Sen. Darline Graham, appointed in July to fulfill the remaining term of her late brother, Lindsey Graham, won a 10-way special GOP primary to replace him on the Nov. 3 ballot for the next six-year term. She entered the race at Trump’s encouragement.
In a call-in rally Thursday night, Trump called Graham “one of the greats,” adding that she has “great genetics,” referring to her brother. The tele-rally included Attorney General Alan Wilson, the GOP nominee for governor, and Jenny Costa Honeycutt, the GOP nominee for the coastal 1st District. The call was intended to boost enthusiasm ahead of early voting, which begins Monday in South Carolina.
Trump told callers to pretend he is on the ballot when they vote, whether during the two-week early voting window or on Election Day. “Essentially, I am on the ballot,” Trump said.
Trump last rallied in South Carolina in August ahead of Graham’s GOP runoff against U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman. The Myrtle Beach rally appeared to help with turnout, with her biggest win coming in Horry County, where she won 73% of the vote. Norman won the Upstate.
