Story perspectives

Darline Graham Wins South Carolina GOP Senate Runoff

8/29/2026

Summary

Story summary

Darline Graham, the Trump-endorsed candidate, won the South Carolina Republican Senate runoff.
U.S. President Donald Trump told a Myrtle Beach rally that Democrats are communists, using “communist” 13 times.
Fox News transcripts recorded “socialist” nearly 6,000 times and “communist” over 1,700 times since Jan 1, spiking in May and August.
Law professor Brian Leiter said Trump and Fox News reinforce each other’s anticommunist messaging, citing Roy Cohn’s influence.

History

Historical Context

During the Cold War, anti-communist fear drove major U.S. actions—from the 1965 escalation of the Vietnam War to the 1986 Goldwater–Nichols Act that reshaped the Army’s command structure. By 1989 planners sought a 23% force cut, reflecting a shift from mass mobilization to streamlined, politically driven reforms. Today’s labeling tactics echo that era’s politicized security narrative.

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Story summary

Darline Graham, the Trump-endorsed candidate, won the South Carolina Republican Senate runoff.
U.S. President Donald Trump told a Myrtle Beach rally that Democrats are communists, using “communist” 13 times.
Fox News transcripts recorded “socialist” nearly 6,000 times and “communist” over 1,700 times since Jan 1, spiking in May and August.
Law professor Brian Leiter said Trump and Fox News reinforce each other’s anticommunist messaging, citing Roy Cohn’s influence.

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