Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Aiken City Council unanimously approved a resolution asking the South Carolina Supreme Court to authorize a homeless court for the city. The next step is a Dec. 3 presentation to the state's Access to Justice Commission, which will recommend whether the chief justice should sign an order creating the court. Similar courts already operate in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Rock Hill, Myrtle Beach and Gaffney, handling non-violent misdemeanor cases for unsheltered residents through service-based alternative sentencing rather than traditional prosecution.

City officials, including the city manager, solicitor and public safety director, back the plan, which is projected to cost $50,000 to $60,000 annually; $30,000 has already been budgeted. If approved, the court would launch in 2027 amid a growing local unsheltered population.

Following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham on July 11, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline, to fill the remainder of his term, with a special election expected to determine who holds the seat long-term. Darline Graham has kept a low public profile since being sworn in, while Democratic physician Annie Andrews has been actively campaigning across the traditionally Republican state.

South Carolina is deeply red, and GOP figures including Katon Dawson and Nancy Mace loom over the race's dynamics, with national Republicans expected to coalesce around a chosen successor. Democrats, who have struggled statewide despite past efforts from figures like Jaime Harrison, see an opening given the unusual circumstances of the vacancy and Andrews's visible campaign presence. The race is being watched as a test of whether shifting demographics and health care-focused messaging could make an otherwise safe Republican seat competitive, with implications for the Senate's partisan balance.

Charleston County Council voted 5-3 on Aug. 27 to authorize the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) to use eminent domain to acquire six acres of the 180-acre Coastal Carolina Fair property along Highway 78. CARTA plans to build a park-and-ride lot there for its planned $625 million Lowcountry Rapid Transit bus system, and says the site is essential to securing $374 million in federal grant funding. The county had approved the move once before in April, but a judge ordered a revote in June. The Exchange Club, which owns the fairgrounds, has fought the taking since 2024, arguing it would cost the fair parking revenue and set a troubling precedent.

Council members with CARTA board ties voted in favor without recusing, prompting conflict-of-interest objections from Exchange Club representatives. One councilmember, running for Congress, abstained citing an exchange club membership. Opponents questioned whether the federal funding would materialize under the Trump administration. The fair, set to run Oct. 28, relies on the disputed lot for roughly 900 parking spaces.

Sen. Darline Graham's narrow victory over Rep. Ralph Norman in South Carolina's GOP Senate runoff came after an unusually aggressive push from President Trump, who visited Myrtle Beach to rally for her, personally lobbied state officials for endorsements, and directed the MAGA Inc. super PAC to spend heavily on phone campaigns for her candidacy. Trump urged voters to treat the race as if he himself were on the ballot, and analysts credit his intervention with tipping a contest that had appeared to favor Norman.

The win reaffirms Trump's grip on the GOP base even as his broader approval sags heading into the midterms. But it also exposed friction: some Republicans booed mentions of Trump during Norman's concession speech, and other candidates are now pressing Trump and MAGA Inc. for similar late-cycle support in competitive races. Critics argue Trump's preference for loyalty over strategy could weaken the party's ability to defend vulnerable seats in November, testing whether his coattails extend beyond hand-picked favorites.

President Donald Trump is set to speak at a rally supporting U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Friday evening at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. City officials say road closures will occur around the Convention Center and Myrtle Beach International Airport but declined to specify exact streets or timing for security reasons, urging drivers to expect sudden closures without advance warning. Barricades have already been placed along Harrelson Boulevard, 21st Avenue North and Oak Street, with "local traffic only" signage expected near the venue by late morning.

Officials are also monitoring extreme heat, with temperatures expected in the 90s and a triple-digit heat index, as crowds gather outside ahead of doors opening at 3 p.m. Horry County and city police, along with the Secret Service, are coordinating security, and both jurisdictions plan to seek reimbursement for costs tied to the visit. Free tickets are available through the GOP's event registration site, though parking is limited.

President Donald Trump held a rally in Myrtle Beach urging South Carolina Republicans to back Sen. Darline Graham in Tuesday's runoff against Rep. Ralph Norman, the contest that will decide the GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate seat once held by her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham. Trump, not on the ballot this cycle, told supporters to "pretend" he was in order to boost turnout and reiterated his "complete and total endorsement" of Graham. Gov. Henry McMaster, who appointed Graham to the seat after her brother's death, formally endorsed her hours before the rally.

The race tightened after Graham stumbled in a debate when asked about Taiwan and the South China Sea, admitting she was "not that informed on national security." Trump defended her as being "honest." The debate moment fueled momentum for Norman, who picked up a notable endorsement from former Gov. Mark Sanford, who broke with Trump, citing the nation's fiscal challenges after the national debt hit $40 trillion. The runoff winner becomes the GOP nominee for the November general election in the reliably red state.

South Carolina voters headed to the polls on Aug. 25 in a Republican runoff to determine who will hold the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham. Sen. Darline Graham, appointed to the seat by Gov. Henry McMaster after her brother's passing, faced Rep. Ralph Norman, a 7th District congressman known for clashing with House leadership. Neither candidate cleared 50 percent in the Aug. 11 primary, with Graham taking about 33 percent and Norman about 24 percent, triggering the runoff.

President Donald Trump endorsed Graham and campaigned for her in Myrtle Beach, framing the race as important to Republican midterm prospects. Graham drew criticism after saying "national security is not my thing" during an Aug. 18 debate, prompting rebukes from Norman and former Gov. Nikki Haley, though Trump defended her. Third-place finisher Rep. Russell Fry endorsed Graham, while fourth-place finisher Mark Sanford, a Trump critic, backed Norman. The winner is heavily favored in the general election against Democrat Andrews in the deep-red state.

Sen. Darline Graham defeated Rep. Ralph Norman 52% to 48% in South Carolina's Republican runoff for the Senate seat held by her brother Lindsey Graham for 23 years before his death in July. Gov. Henry McMaster had appointed her to fill the seat temporarily, and President Trump endorsed her bid for a full term, holding a tele-rally and headlining a Myrtle Beach rally while directing more than $800,000 from his super PAC, MAGA Inc., toward her campaign. Norman, a five-term congressman who largely self-funded his campaign and drew roughly $700,000 in outside spending tied to Nikki Haley, conceded but noted lingering bitterness among his supporters over Trump's involvement. Graham had weathered criticism after admitting during an August debate she was "not that informed on national security," shifting her campaign's focus to domestic issues and her brother's legacy. She now advances to face Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the November 3 general election for the seat, considered a safe Republican hold.

The result, alongside a narrow Trump-backed win in Oklahoma's gubernatorial runoff, reinforces the president's continued sway in GOP primaries despite recent Trump-endorsed losses elsewhere, including Wyoming and Florida.