Ralph Norman
About
Based in Rock Hill · Age 73
Ralph Norman is a U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 5th Congressional District and a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate special election. He is a lifelong South Carolinian, businessman, and fiscal conservative who emphasizes cutting federal spending and limited government. He finished second in the August 11 special primary, after an earlier bid for governor ended in third place in the June primary, and faces Sen. Darline Graham in the August 25 Republican runoff.
Born and raised in Rock Hill, South Carolina
Graduated from Rock Hill High School (1971)
Bachelor of Science in Business from Presbyterian College (1975)
Joined his father's construction business and grew it into a commercial real estate development company
Served in the South Carolina House of Representatives
Elected to U.S. House in 2017 special election to succeed Mick Mulvaney
Member of House Financial Services Committee
Served on boards including York County Home Builders Association, Children's Attention Home, Salvation Army, and MUSC Board of Visitors
Ran for Governor of South Carolina in the 2026 Republican primary; finished third in the June primary before entering the Senate special election
Where they stand
Trump
Says he supports the president's agenda despite Trump having endorsed his opponent in this race, framing loyalty as compatible with dissent: 'You can disagree with him. He loves competing ideas,' arguing the president wants differing viewpoints heard before he makes a final call.
Federal Spending and the National Debt
Calls the $40 trillion national debt his top concern, saying Congress has 'a spending problem,' not an income problem. Voted against the 2023 Fiscal Responsibility Act for not cutting enough, and wants offsets required for new federal spending while targeting mandatory programs, over 70% of the budget.
Voting Rules and Election Eligibility
Calls passing the SAVE Act's citizenship and voter-roll rules his top Senate priority, willing to go around the standard 60-vote threshold to do it: 'I will do whatever it takes to get that. That's a top priority — even if it means blowing the filibuster up.'
Support
Money
$935K
raised
$237K cash
cash on hand
Outside money: $1.4M opposing
Events & record
Others running for U.S. Senator
