U.S. Sen. Darline Graham has won the Republican nomination to keep her late brother’s Senate seat, defeating Rep. Ralph Norman in South Carolina’s runoff on Tuesday after neither won the 50% needed to secure the nomination outright earlier this month.
Graham had never held political office before Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to serve out the remainder of her brother Lindsey Graham’s term following his death last month. She then won the backing of President Donald Trump, who campaigned for her in South Carolina last week.
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After Norman conceded, Graham quickly turned her attention to November.
“We cannot and must not allow democratic socialists to gain a foothold in our conservative state like South Carolina,” she told supporters Tuesday night.
She added, “Liberals believe if they can defeat conservatives in South Carolina, then they can defeat us anywhere. Once again, they’re coming for us and the South Carolina values we hold dear.”
Graham will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the general.
Oklahoma runoffs
And Trump’s endorsement paid off in another runoff Tuesday night. Former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, a Tulsa businessman, narrowly won the Republican nomination for Oklahoma governor.
Trump backed Mazzei and attacked his opponent, state Attorney General Gentner Drummond, in the closing days of the race. Mazzei also poured millions of his own money into his campaign.
He’ll face Democratic state Rep. Cyndi Munson in November.
Meanwhile, nurse N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas has won Oklahoma’s Democratic Senate primary runoff. Thomas, a democratic socialist, will face Republican Congressman Kevin Hern in November.
Hern is favored to win former Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s open seat. Mullin vacated his Senate post to serve as the secretary of homeland security.
Dan Sullivan on the ballot
In Alaska, there officially will be two Dan Sullivans on the November Senate ballot.
Former teacher Dan J. Sullivan has advanced to face Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan, Democrat Mary Peltola and one other candidate in the general election. The fourth candidate has not yet been determined.
An upset in Georgia
And former Gwinnett County School Board Chairman Everton Blair has won Georgia’s special election to serve out the remainder of former Rep. David Scott’s term, defeating Scott’s daughter, Marcye Scott.
The win was an upset. Blair trailed Scott 46% to 38% in last month’s all-party special election, but neither won a majority, forcing Tuesday’s runoff.