‘Up Like a Rocket!’ CNN Data Guru Says Lindsey Graham’s Sister Is Now ‘Clear Favorite’ to Win Primary

 

President Donald Trump’s endorsement is still a golden ticket in Republican party primary races, CNN stats guru Harry Enten says.

Prediction markets showed Darline Graham Nordone’s chances to win a full, six-year term for her deceased brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat soared after the president backed her.

Trump was the first to suggest Nordone take over her older brother’s seat after his sudden July 11 death, calling it “a fabulous tribute to Lindsey!

Enten said prediction markets gave Nordone a paltry chance before Trump’s blessing:

HARRY ENTEN: Darline Graham’s chances have rocketed up because rarely has the power of one man and his endorsements in primaries has been as strong [as] with Donald Trump.

Why don’t we take a look here? Okay. Chance to win the South Carolina special Republican primary: Darline Graham on Friday, she stood at just a 14% chance, according to the Kalshi prediction markets. As I said, up like a rocket.

Now an 80% chance as the Trump endorsement has come in again, the power of one man and Graham herself saying that in fact, she is going to run for a full term. We’re seeing an 80% chance. Look, that’s not 100%, but it is way, way higher than a 14% chance. She’s the clear favorite to fill that seat, at least win the primary.

JOHN BERMAN: That’s a big change in a very short period of time there. What’s the president’s record when he endorses senate races in primaries?

ENTEN: Yeah. Okay. So there’s a reason why this 14% became 80%. And that is because when it comes to Senate primaries, Donald Trump’s record is magnificent. You can see it right here. Okay.

Trump endorsees won Senate primaries if non-elected incumbents. So we’re not just looking at elected incumbents, right? We’re looking at open seats or appointed incumbents who have never actually won the Senate seat.

Look at this since 2022, it’s about 95% of the time. This year in fewer races, it’s 100% of the time. No wonder why the prediction markets and the conventional wisdom have moved so rapidly, once Trump made that endorsement, because at least in Senate races, Trump’s record this year 100%.

And since 2022, nearly 100%, there has never been somebody I have seen as powerful in terms of their ability to move the electorate in primaries than the current president of the United States, Donald John Trump.

Watch above via CNN.

Jason Cohen contributed to this report.

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