Ralph Norman

In December 2016, President Donald Trump nominated Mick Mulvaney as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).[7] At the time, Mulvaney represented South Carolina's 5th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. Shortly after this nomination, and in anticipation that Mulvaney's seat in Congress would be vacated once he was confirmed to the OMB by the United States Senate, Norman announced his intention to resign from the South Carolina House of Representatives to run for U.S. Congress.[8][9][10]

On May 16, 2017, Norman won a Republican primary runoff election against Tommy Pope by a margin of 0.6%, triggering an automatic recount per South Carolina state law.[11][12] Following that recount, the South Carolina State Election Commission certified Norman as the Republican primary winner on May 19, 2017. With 35,425 votes cast, Norman received 17,823, while Pope received 17,602, a 221-vote difference.[13]

Having secured the Republican nomination in the primary election, Norman went on to face the Democratic nominee, Sumter attorney Archie Parnell, in a special election held on June 20, 2017. In that special election, Norman received 51.0% of the votes while Parnell received 47.9%.[14]

Norman was sworn into office on June 26, 2017.[15]

Norman being interviewed in 2019

On March 19, 2018, Representative Norman filed for re-election for with the South Carolina Election Commission.[16] Facing no Republican primary challengers, Norman secured the Republican party nomination following the South Carolina primary election held on June 12, 2018.[17]

Meanwhile, Archie Parnell, the Democratic challenger that Norman defeated during the 2017 special election, chose to run again for South Carolina's 5th Congressional District seat in Congress.[18] Parnell defeated three Democratic opponents to win that party's nomination, and went on to face Norman once again in the 2018 general election.[19]

The 2018 general election in South Carolina was held November 6, 2018. Norman won re-election, receiving 57.0% of the votes to Parnell's 41.5%.[20] Norman's margin of victory was significantly larger than his margin of victory over Parnell in the 2017 special election, held 17 months earlier. However, state and national Democrats had distanced themselves from Parnell after news broke that he'd abused his first wife.[21]

Representative Norman filed for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives on March 16, 2020.[22] He secured the Republican nomination after facing no Republican challengers in the South Carolina primary election held on June 12, 2020.[23]

Norman went on to defeat Democrat Mauricus “Moe” Brown in the general election held on November 3, 2020. Norman received 60.1% of the votes to Brown’s 39.9%.[24]

On September 20, 2018, at an election debate for the Republican nomination for the 5th congressional seat of South Carolina, Norman joked about sexual assault allegations made against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. He kicked-off the debate asking the audience, “Did y’all hear this latest late-breaking news on the Kavanaugh hearings? …Ruth Bader Ginsburg came out saying she was groped by Abraham Lincoln.”[25]

While at a public meeting for constituents on April 6, 2018, Norman engaged in a conversation with representatives from Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (MDA).[26] During that conversation, Norman placed his personal .38-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun on the table to illustrate his belief that "gun violence is a spiritual, mental or people issue, not a gun issue."[26] According to Norman, the loaded firearm was visible for "maybe a minute, or two minutes" and was never pointed at any individual.[27][28] However, representatives from MDA who were seated at the table with Norman, said the firearm was visible for "five to 10 minutes" and that they felt unsafe.[28][29] Norman holds a Concealed Weapons Permit issued by the State of South Carolina.[30]

The incident sparked widespread criticism of Norman.[31] On April 9, 2018, South Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Trav Robertson wrote a letter to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division requesting felony charges against Norman for his conduct.[32] The case was originally assigned to South Carolina 16th Solicitor Kevin Brackett. However, Brackett recused himself citing a "personal friendship" with Norman.[33] The issue was then forwarded to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who declined to press charges stating that Norman's actions did not "warrant a criminal investigation" or constitute "a prosecutable offense."[34][35]

In 2019, Norman joined with a small group of other House Republicans who sought to reinstate Rep. Steve King on House committees.[36] King had lost his committee positions due to a series of racist and white nationalist remarks.[37] The group also included Reps. Louie Gohmert and Paul Gosar.[36] Ultimately, King was not reinstated.

Norman was described as a Trump ally during Donald Trump's presidency.[38] After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election and President Donald Trump made claims of election fraud, Norman called for an investigation into fraud.[39]

In December 2020, Norman was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden prevailed[40] over incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of the election held by another state.[41][42][43]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." Additionally, Pelosi reprimanded Norman and the other House members who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."[44][45] New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell, citing section three of the 14th Amendment, called for Pelosi to not seat Norman and the other Republicans who signed the brief supporting the suit. Pascrell argued that "the text of the 14th Amendment expressly forbids Members of Congress from engaging in rebellion against the United States. Trying to overturn a democratic election and install a dictator seems like a pretty clear example of that."[46]

• Committee on Oversight and Reform[47]
  • Subcommittee on Government Operations
• Committee on Science, Space, and Technology [48]
  • Subcommittee on Energy
  • Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight
• Committee on the Budget[49]

• Republican Study Committee[50]
• House Freedom Caucus[51]
• Congressional Solar Caucus[52]
• Congressional Western Caucus[53]
• Congressional Waste-Cutters Caucus[54]