POLITICS08/12/26

SC GOP Senate Primary Runoff

Graham Norman and Ralph Norman advance to an Aug. 25 GOP Senate runoff in South Carolina.

Photo: Axios

FRAMING Axios emphasized Name Recognition vs. Record; Breitbart News emphasized Trump Endorsement Drives Victory.

WHAT BOTH SIDES REPORT

▸Darline Graham and Ralph Norman both advanced to the Republican runoff. — NPR Politics, Breitbart News
▸No candidate won the majority needed to avoid a runoff. — Axios, Daily Wire

LEFT / CENTER-LEFT

▸Axios noted Norman argued voters should judge candidates on records, not famous names. — Axios
▸Axios noted Democrats have not won a SC Senate seat since 1998. — Axios

RIGHT / CENTER-RIGHT

▸Breitbart noted Graham led with nearly 33%, about nine points ahead of Norman's 24%. — Breitbart News

DOJ California Voter Fraud Sweep

DOJ charged 28 noncitizens and arrested 11 in California under 'Operation Protect the Vote.'

DEVELOPING TIMELINE

First Report Thursday: The Justice Department gave California 48 hours to review flagged noncitizen voters or face emergency legal action.

Sunday: DOJ threatens criminal prosecution for processing noncitizen ballots

Tuesday: DOJ charges 28 noncitizens, arrests 11 in California

Left: Defendants say they never registered to vote.

Right: DOJ arrests 11, charges 28 noncitizen voters.

Trump rallied in Dalton, Georgia, backing Senate and governor candidates Collins and Jackson.

Left: PBS: Rally hits a state split by Trump's claims

Right: Breitbart: NFL star Gurley joins Trump on stage

At a CNN town hall, Talarico defended his nine-day flu absence and criticized Paxton for conspiracy theories.

DEVELOPING TIMELINE

First Report Oct 12: Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico attributed a roughly two-week campaign absence to having the flu.

Thursday: Talarico defends flu absence, attacks Paxton conspiracy claims

Left: Paxton allies falsely called it a mental health crisis.

Right: Talarico says he'd handle his flu absence the same way.

The DOJ warned California officials that processing ballots from suspected noncitizens could result in criminal prosecution.

DEVELOPING TIMELINE

First Report Thursday: The Justice Department gave California 48 hours to review flagged noncitizen voters or face emergency legal action.

Sunday: DOJ threatens criminal prosecution for processing noncitizen ballots

Left: Feds pressure California mid-election with criminal threat

Right: Trump vows jail if noncitizen ballots are counted