Darline Graham admits she is 'not that informed on national security,' mistakenly says SC population is 50M

Published Aug 19, 12:53 PM UTC

During a South Carolina Senate runoff debate, candidate Darline Graham, sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, gave a widely criticized performance. When asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States, Graham admitted she is 'not that informed on national security' and deflected by citing her brother's and father's military service. Her opponent, Representative Ralph Norman, provided a substantive answer emphasizing Taiwan as an ally and the importance of peace through strength. Graham also mistakenly claimed South Carolina's population is 50 million, when it is actually 5.6 million. The debate has drawn harsh online criticism, with journalists and commentators calling her admission disqualifying and noting that familial ties to a former lawmaker are not a qualification for the Senate.