MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Sen. Darline Graham made a bit of a mess of her campaign this week when she struggled to answer a question about Taiwan and admitted she wasn’t informed on national security. On Friday night, President Donald Trump traveled to South Carolina to try to clean it up.

During a rally alongside the political novice in Myrtle Beach, Trump tacitly alluded to the debate gaffe, touting Graham’s reverence for the military while also noting her lack of experience.

“She’s never done it before, but she knows politics well,” Trump said. “She loves our military. She loves things that have to do with greatness for America.”

He recalled a conversation he had with Graham, the sister of the late-Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the day after the debate.

“Darline will support our military,” Trump said. “I spoke to her two days ago and what she really wants to do is support our military and make sure they’re taken care of.”

Trump’s damage control came at a make-or-break moment for the campaign. South Carolina Republicans are set to head to the polls on Tuesday to pick between Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., for the GOP nomination in November’s Senate race. Graham had never held public office before her brother’s death; Norman is a nine-year veteran of the House.

Whether the reinforcements will work is anyone’s guess. But heading into the rally Friday, it was clear Graham had some work to do: A number of rally attendees told MS NOW before the event began that they were undecided on the race. 

Asked if he was supporting Graham in the race, Scott Feneley, a 67-year-old retiree from Myrtle Beach who arrived hours before the rally began responded: “Not necessarily.”

“I’m still open-minded,” he said. “I voted for Mr. Fry in the last primary and I’m coming to see if Trump sells me hard enough, I will vote for her. But right now, I’m kind of on the side of Ralph Norman.”

Pressed on why he was leaning towards Norman, Feneley lauded Norman’s conservative record before voicing concerns about Graham’s inexperience.

“I’m a little concerned about Darline’s being new to the game,” he said.

Louis Brust, a 69-year-old real estate agent from Myrtle Beach, told MS NOW he was attending the rally to see Trump. But would he also be supporting Graham?

“I haven’t decided yet,” he said. “We’ll see how tonight goes.”

When asked about his hesitance, Brust couldn’t point to a specific reason.

While some Trump supporters questioned whether to vote for Graham because of her inexperience, others brushed off the concern — in large part because of Trump’s endorsement.

Donna Calvert, a 69-year-old retiree from Murrells Inlet conceded that Graham “didn’t do that well in the debate,” but quickly pointed to the president.

“Just because you’re a charismatic speaker doesn’t mean you’re gonna be a good representative for our state,” she said. “And I really believe with Trump’s backing her and supporting her, she’s going to do well.”

Trump’s full-court press came three days after Graham’s debate snafu. When the moderator asked if Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States, Graham stumbled and asked for the question to be repeated. She eventually responded: “I’m not that informed on national security.”

The comment sparked a firestorm, with Republicans inside and outside of South Carolina criticizing Graham and questioning whether she has the relevant experience to serve a full six-year term in the Senate.

Graham has since tried to recover. At Friday night’s rally, she leaned in to her lack of political experience, and even likened her campaign to that of Trump’s.

“The critics say I shouldn’t run for the Senate. They say I’m not a politician. You know what I say? Guilty as charged,” she told the crowd, eliciting applause. “And by the way, President Trump had never served in an elected office before, and I think he’s done a damn good job.”

Graham took matters a step further, bolstering her conservative bonafides at the expense of slighting her brother.

“I loved my brother Lindsey and I miss him so much every day. But on illegal immigration, I’m tougher than he was,” Graham said. “It’s simple: If you are here illegally, you’ve got to go.”

Speaking Friday, Trump weaved in his usual rhetoric that he rebuilt the U.S. military during his first term to highlight Graham’s support for military funding. He also reminded the crowd that Joint Base Charleston had been renamed Joint Base Lindsey Graham in honor of the late senator.

The rally was held four days before voters cast ballots for the hotly contested Senate GOP primary. Just as Graham’s political future is on the line, Trump’s grip on the Republican Party is also being tested.

Trump encouraged Graham to jump into the race, endorsed her when she entered and traveled to South Carolina to give her an eleventh-hour boost — a full-court press that puts his credibility at stake.

Taking that political risk comes at a particularly fraught moment for the Trump brand. This week, the president’s preferred candidates in two Florida House GOP primaries and Wyoming’s gubernatorial GOP primary lost, putting his star power in question.

And while Graham came in first in last week’s initial election, more than 60% of South Carolina Republicans voted for someone other than the president’s preferred candidate, fueling more questions about his influence in the party.

That came after the president’s first pick for South Carolina’s GOP gubernatorial primary also lost — but only after Trump issued a dual endorsement of both candidates.

Trump appeared to acknowledge that on Friday night, telling supporters it would take some convincing to get voters to turn out for a Senate GOP runoff during a non-presidential election year — particularly when he’s not on the ballot.

But in a moment that suggested he was aware that his credibility hung in the balance, he implored voters to get out and vote as if he were on the ballot.

“The problem that we have is, they say that Trump does great when he’s on the ballot, but when he’s not on the ballot, his people don’t come and they don’t vote for senators, congressmen, and other Republicans, and that these people-they’re running, they’re great. But if Trump isn’t actually on the ballot,” Trump said.

“So what I really want you to do is pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot,” he added. “Just come and vote. It’s so important.”

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From MS Now.