In a recent debate against Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Sen. Darline Graham Nordone acknowledged she is “not that informed” on national security issues.

When asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security concerns for the United States, Nordone responded: “I’m just going to be honest here; I’m not that informed on national security.”

Nordone, sister of late Sen. Lindsey Graham, emphasized her support for the military. She noted her brother served in the Air Force for 33 years and her father was in the Army. “I do support the military,” she said. “My dad was in the Army. I’m not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise.”

The debate also revealed a factual error when Nordone stated South Carolina has 50 million residents. Rep. Norman corrected her: “If we’re going to talk about the affordability crisis in our state, we should start by knowing that South Carolina has 5.5 million people.”

The moment prompted boos from the audience and highlighted Nordone’s vulnerability as she seeks to succeed her brother in the Senate race. While she holds President Trump’s endorsement, she lacks Norman’s experience as a five-term congressman with a well-established record on foreign policy.

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who endorsed Norman, criticized Nordone: “Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Darline Graham admits she’s not.”

Norman has described Trump’s endorsement of Nordone as a “head scratcher” and stressed that South Carolina “deserves a Senator who UNDERSTANDS foreign policy.” The two candidates finished second and first in their respective primary races, with neither winning enough votes to avoid a runoff.