Trump Tells a South Carolina Rally to 'Pretend, Please, That I'm on the Ballot' After Six of His Endorsed Candidates Lost Primaries

At a rally in Myrtle Beach on the night of Aug. 21, President Trump asked supporters to treat the November midterms as though his own name appeared on the ballot. "The problem that we have is, they say that Trump does great when he's on the ballot, but when he's not on the ballot, his people don't come and they don't vote for senators, congressmen and other Republicans," he said. "So what I really want you to do is pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot. Just come and vote." About an hour later he added: "I am on the ballot. We're all on the ballot. Our country's on the ballot."

The appeal came as Trump campaigned for Sen. Darline Graham ahead of Tuesday's Republican Senate runoff, and after six of his endorsed candidates failed to win nominations for House or governor this month, against three such losses in all of the year before August. His endorsement had not secured Graham a majority in the initial primary.

Trump did not mention Graham's runoff opponent, Rep. Ralph Norman, during roughly 90 minutes onstage. Some supporters told NBC News they still had reservations about Graham after a debate earlier that week.