South Carolina Senate Candidate Darline Graham Mocked Online After Claiming State Population is 50 Million
WASHINGTON, DC — Republican Senate candidate Darline Graham sparked widespread online mockery during a recent primary debate after mistakenly asserting that South Carolina is home to 50 million people.
The gaffe occurred during a Newsmax-hosted debate on Tuesday ahead of the August 25 Republican runoff. Graham, who is backed by Donald Trump, is competing against Representative Ralph Norman for the GOP nomination to fill the Senate seat previously held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham.
While discussing state demographics, Graham claimed there are “50 million people in SC.” The comment immediately circulated on social media, with political commentators and X users pointing out the massive discrepancy. In reality, South Carolina’s population is approximately 5.5 million.
Social media users quickly pounced on the error. One user posted, “Not to violate whatever’s left of the Voting Rights Act with some kind of literacy test, but shouldn’t a Senate candidate at least know how to count?” Another joked that the response rivaled legislative blunders that make politicians “look like a Mensa genius.”
Representative Nancy Mace swiftly addressed the blunder on X, writing, “Darlene Graham doesn’t even know how many people live in South Carolina! Here she is saying 50 million people live here. Darlene darling, approximately 5.5 million people, not 50 million people live in South Carolina.” Mace concluded her post by endorsing Graham’s opponent, writing, “Vote Ralph Norman.”
The population mix-up was not the only stumbling block for Graham during the debate. The 62-year-old candidate also faced audience boos after admitting to a lack of familiarity with foreign policy.
When co-moderator Greta Van Susteren asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea posed national security concerns for the United States, Graham asked for the question to be repeated before answering candidly: “I’m just going to be honest here… I’m not that informed on national security.”
The admission drew audible boos from the crowd. To defend her stance on defense issues, Graham pivoted to her family’s military background, highlighting her late brother’s 33-year career in the US Air Force and her father’s service in the US Army.
The debate performance drew further criticism from prominent figures, including former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who wrote on social media: “Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Darline Graham admits she’s not. This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the U.S. Senate.”