Republican Jewish Coalition backs Darline Graham

The Republican Jewish Coalition on Wednesday endorsed Republican Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina's special Senate race, backing the newly appointed senator as she seeks a full six-year term after the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Politico reported.

The coalition also announced it will honor Lindsey Graham's legacy by dedicating its annual leadership summit next month in Las Vegas to the late senator and establishing the inaugural Lindsey Graham Statesman Award.

Lindsey Graham was one of the Senate's strongest supporters of Israel, advocating for robust U.S. military and diplomatic backing throughout his career.

After receiving President Donald Trump's endorsement and encouragement to run, Darline Graham announced Monday that she will seek the Republican nomination in the upcoming special primary election. Graham was appointed to complete the remainder of her brother's Senate term.

In a joint statement, Norman Coleman, the coalition's national chairman, and CEO Matt Brooks quoted Lindsey Graham's praise of his sister.

"As Senator Lindsey Graham said of his sister in a 2015 interview, 'If she took a role on, she would be a great representative of our country. I can't think of a better person,'" the two leaders said.

"He trusted her and her judgment more than anyone else's."

While Lindsey Graham built a national reputation as one of the Senate's leading voices on national security and foreign policy, Darline Graham has said she wants to place greater emphasis on domestic issues affecting everyday Americans.

Darline Graham recalled urging her brother to devote more attention to kitchen-table concerns.

"I'd be like, 'Lindsey, you're just talking about national security all the time.' And I understand that's important — protecting our borders, national security, absolutely," Darline Graham told Fox News.

"But talk about also what matters to the average person: the price of groceries; the price of gas, healthcare, insurance; those kind of things. That's what I'm worried about."