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'
asserted
what → sign → House
I don't know much about her.
asserted
I → know → her
I don't really know to tell the truth...'
So said one of the first MAGA supporters in line as President Trump swooped in to rescue Darline Graham, the sinking Republican Senate candidate in South Carolina.
asserted
Trump → know → Carolina
But it was a sentiment echoed by others among the faithful after what has been a lackluster campaign.
asserted
what → echo → faithful
The symbolism of Trump's rally being held near a large graveyard was hard to miss.
asserted
rally → hold → graveyard
Democratic protesters stood on the curb near headstones predicting Darline's doom.
asserted
protesters → stand → doom
If the GOP loses overall control of the Senate, then this may well be where the dream died.
uncertain
dream → lose → Senate
Despite the presence of the President, for a second time in just eight days, the crowd took up less than half the Rock Hill Sports & Events Center in York County, an arena where the other most notable recent event was the Cornhole world championships.
asserted
event → take → County
'I liked her brother so I'm hoping she's a good senator, she's fairly new,' said Terry Causey, 79, who arrived at 5am after riding his Harley to get there.
asserted
who → like → Harley
'Trump likes her, so she's probably going to do a good job.'
asserted
she → like → job
Bo Simpson, 69, said: 'I loved her brother, and I love Darline.
asserted
I → say → Darline
I don't trust the polls.
asserted
I → trust → polls
The biggest danger is all the socialists and communists getting elected all over the country.'
asserted
socialists → elect → country
Like numerous others in line, they were both from neighboring North Carolina so couldn't vote for Graham, and had come purely to see Trump.
asserted
they → neighbor → Trump
President Trump dashed to South Carolina to boost Darline Graham amid polls showing her in a close race
Lindsey Graham had been cruising to a fifth term when he died of an aortic dissection on July 11.
asserted
he → dash → July
Darline, former director of the state agency for the blind, received bipartisan support when she was appointed to serve out his term.
asserted
she → receive → term
But her decision to try to keep the seat for six more years on November 3, and Trump's endorsement of her, have rankled many Republicans.
asserted
decision → try → Republicans
Combined with economic woes it has led to the once unfathomable possibility of deep red South Carolina turning blue.
asserted
Carolina → combine → possibility
It's a state Trump won by 18 points in 2024, and it has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998.
asserted
it → win → 1998
In 2022, Republican senator Tim Scott was re-elected by a massive 26 points.
asserted
Scott → re → points
On the eve of Trump's latest visit, a new poll threw a hand grenade into the already bubbling electoral waters.
asserted
poll → throw → waters
The New York Times/Siena survey had Graham tied with Democrat Dr Annie Andrews on 48 percent.
asserted
Graham → have → percent
Andrews got 57 percent of independents to Graham's 37 percent.
asserted
Andrews → get → percent
Andrews also captured seven percent of Republican voters, and 70 percent of under-30s.
asserted
Andrews → capture → under-30s
Among Democrats there appears to be genuine enthusiasm for Andrews, a pediatrician and mother of three, who wants to impeach Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr over his views on vaccines, reverse Medicaid cuts and restore Obamacare subsidies.
asserted
who → appear → subsidies
By October 14, Andrews had raised $23.8 million to Graham's $1.2 million.
asserted
Andrews → raise → million
Dr Annie Andrews, the Democratic Senate candidate who President Trump called 'Tranny Annie' in an attack on her transgender positions
Whatever the eventual result, there are already two clear lessons for Republicans to learn from the race.
asserted
Republicans → call → race
First, candidate quality matters.
asserted
quality → matter → ?
Second, and perhaps more importantly, South Carolinians do not like being told what to do.
asserted
Carolinians → like → what
As Nancy Mace, a Republican who smashed Andrews in a congressional race in 2022, put it: 'People feel boondoggled.
asserted
People → smash → it
This was supposed to be a seat where Darline Graham was going to be appointed for six months.
asserted
Graham → suppose → months
At the Trump rally, Randy Heine, 68, said: 'I just know if the Senate switches to Democrat control President Trump will be hindered.
asserted
Trump → say → control
So I'm voting Republican over Democrat just for that reason.
asserted
I → vote → reason
For me it's just keeping our party in charge.
asserted
it → keep → charge
I work in construction and my men are driving an hour and a half to get to things.
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men → work → things
They want to kill us.'
asserted
They → want → us
Trump made his second visit in eight days to deep red South Carolina
Unlike many in the audience who had come over the border from North Carolina, Graham was at least on home turf.
asserted
Graham → make → turf
She's a 'volleyball mom' who has watched her daughter play at the Rock Hill arena many times.
asserted
daughter → watch → arena
In a Southern drawl, she launched into Andrews, calling her 'plain bats**t crazy' and a gun grabber, and herself 'pretty damn conservative.
asserted
herself → launch → her
'
'To me gun control is how steady you hold your weapon,' she said.
asserted
she → hold → weapon
…and 61 more, not listed.
The Aporia
