Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:01OUR LIVE FORUM INVITING YOU TO DISCUSS THE LATEST ISSUES IN
00:00:03GOVERNMENT, POLITICS, AND PUBLIC
00:00:08POLICY FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. TO ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
00:00:10WEDNESDAY MORNING, EDITOR OF
00:00:13NATIONAL JOURNAL'S POLITICAL NEWSLETTER COVERS THE RESULTS OF
00:00:17TUESDAY NIGHTS PRIMARIES.
00:00:19THEN SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR FOR
00:00:22PROTECT OUR CARE TALKS ABOUT HEALTH CARE AND CAMPAIGN 2026.
00:00:27CEO OF UNITED AGAINST NUCLEAR IRAN ON THE U.S. IRAN WAR AND EFFORTS TO DENUCLEARIZE IRAN.
00:00:31AND MANHATTAN INSTITUTE'S FELLOW
00:00:36DISCUSSES A NEW COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORT ON CRIME
00:00:40TRAINS IN U.S. CITIES. C-SPAN'S "WASHINGTON JOURNAL,"
00:00:44JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION LIVE AT 7:00 EASTERN ON C-SPAN, C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE APP, OR
00:00:46ONLINE AT C-SPAN.ORG.
00:00:52>> UP NEXT, SENATOR DARLINE
00:00:56GRAHAM SPOKE TO REPORTERS AFTER WINNING THE SOUTH CAROLINA
00:01:00RUNOFF PRIMARY. SENATOR DARLINE GRAHAM, THE SISTER OF THE LATE SENATOR
00:01:02LINDSEY GRAHAM, WILL FACE
00:01:07REPRESENTATIVE RALPH NORMAN IN AN AUGUST 20 FIFTH RUNOFF FOR THE PARTY'S NOMINATION.
00:02:16>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS
00:02:20IS A VERY EMOTIONAL NIGHT. BECAUSE I'M USUALLY STANDING HERE CELEBRATING WITH LINDSAY. SO I KNOW HE'S LOOKING DOWN RIGHT NOW, SMILING, SO THAT
00:02:23GIVES ME PEACE, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT. SECONDLY, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO GOD FOR CARRYING MY FAMILY AND ME THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST
00:02:27CHALLENGING TIMES WE'VE EVER HAD THE PAST FEW WEEKS. IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. THANK YOU TO MY HUSBAND LARRY, MY TWO DAUGHTERS EMILY AND
00:02:31NICOLE, AND, UH, KYLE, MY SON-IN-LAW, AND MY BEAUTIFUL GRANDSON COPELAND HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING A LITTLE
00:02:33LATE FOR HIM.
00:02:36BUT THEY WERE HERE EARLIER. THANK YOU TO MY STAFF, MY OFFICIAL SENATE STAFF, AND MY
00:02:40CAMPAIGN TEAM FOR STANDING BY ME AND SUPPORTING ME. I COULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THROUGH THE PAST FEW WEEKS WITHOUT YOU. I WANT TO THANK PRESIDENT TRUMP.
00:02:43HIS STEADFAST SUPPORT AND HIS COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. HE KNOWS THAT I WILL STAND WITH HIM AND FIGHT FOR HIS AGENDA JUST LIKE LINDSAY DID.
00:02:47I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY OPPONENTS, ESPECIALLY RUSSELL FRYE AND MARK SANFORD.
00:02:49THEY RAN A GOOD RACE.
00:03:01MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO THANK THE REPUBLICAN VOTERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR HAVING CONFIDENCE IN ME. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT TWO
00:03:05WEEKS MEETING WITH YOU, LISTENING TO YOUR CONCERNS, AND TELLING YOU MORE ABOUT ME AND MY
00:03:07CONSERVATIVE VALUES.
00:03:17I DECIDED TO ANSWER THE CALL TO SERVE BECAUSE SOUTH CAROLINA AND PRESIDENT TRUMP NEED A LEADER WHO'S TOUGH, PRINCIPLED, AND
00:03:20WILL FIGHT TO ADVANCE OUR
00:03:24CONSERVATIVE VALUES IN WASHINGTON. LINDSAY AND I GREW UP IN ONE ROOM IN THE BACK OF A BAR AND
00:03:28LIQUOR STORE WHERE OUR PARENTS WORKED LONG, HARD HOURS TO EARN
00:03:29A LIVING.
00:03:43THAT'S WHERE WE LEARNED A STRONG WORK ETHIC AND THE VALUE OF A DOLLAR.
00:03:45FROM A YOUNG AGE, OUR PARENTS TAUGHT US THAT YOU'RE NOT GIVEN
00:03:50ANYTHING IN LIFE, AND NO ONE OWES YOU ANYTHING. IF YOU WANT SOMETHING, YOU WORK FOR IT.
00:03:53THAT'S HOW I'VE TRIED TO LIVE MY LIFE. I'VE SPENT MY CAREER SERVING THE
00:03:55PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THE
00:04:02PAST 7 YEARS, I LED AN AGENCY DEDICATED TO HELPING SOUTH CAROLINIANS WHO ARE BLIND OR
00:04:06VISUALLY IMPAIRED FIND EMPLOYMENT, BECOME MORE INDEPENDENT, AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
00:04:10I TOOK A STRUGGLING AGENCY AND
00:04:11TURNED IT INTO A NATIONAL MODEL.
00:04:16I NEVER EXPECTED THAT CAREER OF SERVICE WOULD LEAD ME TO THE
00:04:18UNITED STATES SENATE.
00:04:29I CERTAINLY NEVER EXPECTED IT WOULD HAPPEN UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE JOB IN WASHINGTON FOR 3 WEEKS AND I'VE ALREADY PASSED A MAJOR PIECE OF
00:04:34BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION THROUGH THE SENATE THAT MEANT SO MUCH TO LINDSEY, THE RUSSIA SANCTIONS BILL, WHICH I BELIEVE WILL END
00:04:37THE BLOODSHED IN UKRAINE AND
00:04:38KEEP AMERICANS SAFER.
00:04:53I WAS ALSO THE DECIDING VOTE TO CONFIRM PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE TODD BLANCHE.
00:04:56SOME POLITICIANS NEVER GET A MAJOR PIECE OF THEIR LEGISLATION PASSED, SO I'VE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED MORE IN A FEW WEEKS
00:05:00THAN MANY DO IN DECADES.
00:05:05SO, I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
00:05:09SO, WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP AND OTHERS ASKED ME TO RUN FOR A FULL TERM IN THE SENATE, I
00:05:12PRAYED HARD ABOUT IT.
00:05:18I KNEW I COULD NOT SIT ON THE SIDELINES. THAT'S NOT HOW LINDSAY AND I WERE RAISED. THAT'S NOT WHO I AM. I'M A FIGHTER.
00:05:22HERE'S WHAT SOUTH CAROLINIANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ME.
00:05:23I'M A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN.
00:05:26I'M NOT A CAREER POLITICIAN.
00:05:36I KNOW HOW FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THERE, TOO. I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS, SO I KNOW WHAT IT
00:05:40FEELS LIKE TO HAVE OUTRAGEOUS
00:05:41MEDICAL BILLS.
00:05:49I KNOW THERE'S NOT ONE BUSINESS IN THE COUNTRY THAT WOULD LET YOU PUT EVERYTHING ON CREDIT LIKE WE DO TODAY WITH THE FEDERAL BUDGET.
00:05:52YOU HAVE TO SHOW AN ID TO CHECK OUT A LIBRARY BOOK, SO WHY WOULDN'T YOU HAVE TO SHOW AN ID TO VOTE? THAT'S WHY THE FIRST BILL I
00:05:56CO-SPONSORED WAS THE SAVE
00:05:57AMERICA ACT.
00:06:07JOE BIDEN LET 12 MILLION ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS INTO THIS COUNTRY. PRESIDENT TRUMP AND I ARE GOING TO WALK THEM RIGHT BACK OUT.
00:06:11I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU WANT TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES, YOU DO IT LEGALLY AND IF YOU WANT TO STAY HERE, YOU RESPECT OUR
00:06:15AMERICAN VALUES.
00:06:22I SUPPORT THE RIGHT TO LIFE. I BELIEVE THAT EVERY HUMAN LIFE IS SACRED AND DESERVES PROTECTION. I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE SECOND
00:06:27AMENDMENT. I BELIEVE GUN CONTROL IS HOW
00:06:29STEADY YOU HOLD YOUR WEAPON.
00:06:33I'M A VOLLEYBALL MOM.
00:06:39I LOVE WATCHING MY DAUGHTER PLAY, AND I KNOW THAT BOYS HAVE NO PLACE IN GIRLS' SPORTS, ESPECIALLY NOT IN THE LOCKER ROOM.
00:06:42I'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF NOT BEING A
00:06:43POLITICIAN, GUILTY AS CHARGED.
00:06:58I WILL SPEND THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OF THIS RUNOFF MEETING WITH VOTERS AND UNLIKE SOME POLITICIANS, LISTENING TO THEIR CONCERNS, YES, LISTENING TO
00:07:02THEIR CONCERNS. THIS SEAT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE
00:07:03OF SOUTH CAROLINA, AND I WILL
00:07:08WORK HARD TO EARN, EARN YOUR VOTE. THIS RUNOFF WILL BE A SPRINT AND A TEAM EFFORT, AND I CERTAINLY
00:07:11CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.
00:07:18SO, I'M ASKING YOU TO GO TO
00:07:19DARLINEGRAHAM.COM TO JOIN MY
00:07:32CAMPAIGN, VOLUNTEER, AND CONTRIBUTE $5, $10. AGAIN, THAT'S DARLINEGRAHAM.COM. IF YOU DIDN'T VOTE FOR ME TODAY,
00:07:36I WILL WORK TO EARN YOUR VOTE IN THE RUNOFF.
00:07:37THANK YOU FOR VOTING. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS.
00:07:41MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS
00:07:42GREAT STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
00:07:47[APPLAUSE]
00:07:50>> I'M CURIOUS, DID HE OFFER TO COME DOWN HERE TO CAMPAIGN? AND ALSO, HOW DO YOU PLAN TO
00:07:54MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN YOU AND RALPH NORMAN BETWEEN NOW AND TWO WEEKS FROM NOW?
00:07:58>> WELL, I'M HOPEFUL THAT
00:08:02PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL COME DOWN,
00:08:03BUT WE'LL SEE.
00:08:09AND THERE'S A BIG DISTINCTION BETWEEN MYSELF AND RALPH NORMAN. I'M A CONSERVATIVE.
00:08:12I HAVE CONSERVATIVE VALUES. I'M WILLING TO WORK HARD FOR THE PEOPLE.
00:08:15I'M WILLING TO EARN THEIR VOTES,
00:08:16AND YES, WE'LL SEE OTHER
00:08:20DIFFERENCES AS THE WEEKS GO ON.
00:08:21>> SENATOR, JUST EARLIER
00:08:33TONIGHT, CONGRESSMAN RALPH NORMAN AGREED TO A DEBATE ON MONDAY. ARE YOU PARTICIPATING IN THAT
00:08:36DEBATE? HAVE YOU AGREED TO THAT?
00:08:40>> WELL, THAT'S THE FIRST I'VE
00:08:43HEARD OF IT, SO WE'LL SEE.
00:08:44>> WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO
00:08:48DEBATE?
00:08:49>> I'LL BE WILLING TO DEBATE
00:08:55HIM. YES.
00:08:56>> SENATOR, WILL YOU REACH OUT
00:09:00TO ANY OF YOUR OTHER OPPONENTS ASKING FOR YOUR ENDORSEMENT?
00:09:03>> YES, I PLAN TO DO THAT.
00:09:07>> HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO THEM?
00:09:09>> I'VE SPOKEN TO A COUPLE OF
00:09:16THEM. MORE TO COME. >> SENATOR, WHAT DO WE EXPECT TO
00:09:19SEE OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS IN TERMS OF CAMPAIGNING?
00:09:22YOU SAID YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO
00:09:25GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ON THE
00:09:29GROUND HERE?
00:09:30>> PROBABLY PRETTY MUCH EVERY
00:09:34DAY I'M GOING TO BE HITTING THE ROAD.
00:09:38I WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH THE VOTERS. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM, SO I WANT TO MEET ONE
00:09:41ON ONE WITH AS MANY PEOPLE AS I
00:09:43POSSIBLY CAN.
00:09:46SO I PLAN TO COVER THIS ENTIRE STATE. >> THIS IS YOUR FIRST CAMPAIGN,
00:09:50THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU ARE THE
00:09:53ONE OUT FRONT DOING THAT.
00:09:56WHAT'S YOUR LEVEL OF COMFORT? YOUR BROTHER HAD DECADES TO GET
00:09:59THAT. BUT HOW DO YOU FEEL DOING THAT?
00:10:04>> WELL, IT'S BEEN ABSOLUTELY
00:10:06BRUTAL, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS
00:10:09PAST MONTH HAS BEEN BRUTAL.
00:10:12TODAY IS THE 11TH. MY BROTHER PASSED ONE MONTH AGO
00:10:13TODAY, SO NONE OF THIS HAS BEEN
00:10:16COMFORTABLE.
00:10:19BUT LIKE I SAID, I'M A FIGHTER.
00:10:24I HAVE BURIED MY PRECIOUS BROTHER. I HAVE TAKEN ON THE ROLE OF A UNITED STATES SENATOR, AND I
00:10:27HAVE HAD THIS BRUTAL CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE, AND I'M STILL
00:10:30STANDING. IF THAT DOESN'T TELL YOU I'M A
00:10:34STRONG PERSON AND A FIGHTER, NOTHING WILL. SO I THINK I CAN HANDLE THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
00:10:37>> FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN, BUT ALSO AS YOU SAID, IT'S AN EMOTIONAL DAY FOR YOU AND YOUR WHOLE
00:10:40FAMILY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LOSS OF LINDSAY. SO WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S
00:10:44HAPPENED HERE, YOU KNOW, BECOMING, YOU KNOW, YOUR APPOINTED SENATOR NOW DECIDING THAT YOU WANT TO RUN FOR THIS,
00:10:47GETTING YOUR FEET WET IN WASHINGTON, HAVE YOU HAD TIME TO
00:10:51SIT?
00:10:52>> THAT LOSS TO AMID ALL OF THIS
00:10:56AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR
00:10:59YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
00:11:03FAMILY SITUATION.
00:11:08>> IT HAS BEEN A FAMILY
00:11:12SITUATION. IT'S BEEN HARD ON MY WHOLE FAMILY AND UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE NOT HAD A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TO
00:11:16PROCESS IT. I'VE HAD MY MOMENTS.
00:11:20THEY TYPICALLY COME EARLY IN THE MORNING. YOU KNOW, BEFORE MY DAY GETS
00:11:24STARTED AND LATE AT NIGHT. >> DO YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HE WAS IF YOU HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY
00:11:28TO JUST YOU AND HIM, NO CAMERAS, NO.
00:11:29>> I THINK A LOT ABOUT, RIGHT NOW I THINK HE WOULD BE VERY.
00:11:33>> SENATOR, WHAT IS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE WATCHING VOTES COME IN FOR YOURSELF COMPARED TO WHAT IT WAS LIKE WATCHING THE
00:11:37VOTES COME IN FOR YOUR BROTHER?
00:11:38>> YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REALLY
00:11:41GOOD QUESTION. I THINK I WAS PROBABLY ALWAYS
00:11:44MORE NERVOUS FOR LINDSAY THAN MYSELF. I'M NOT SAYING I WASN'T NERVOUS, BUT I THINK I WAS ALWAYS A
00:11:48LITTLE MORE NERVOUS FOR HIM.
00:11:50>> THANKS GUYS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.