Newsmax

Sen. Darline Graham won South Carolina's Republican U.S. Senate runoff Tuesday, defeating Rep. Ralph Norman after President Donald Trump mounted a late push to help the political newcomer secure the GOP nomination for a full six-year term.

Graham's victory, coming a month after she was appointed to fill the remainder of the term of her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, preserved Trump's perfect record in U.S. Senate Republican primaries this year. Trump-endorsed Senate candidates had won or advanced in every primary contest entering Tuesday's runoff.

Newsmax and Decision Desk HQ called the race for Darline Graham more than 90 minutes after polls closed. With 69% of the vote counted, she had 52.5% to 47.5% for Norman.

Darline Graham will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a Charleston physician, in November. South Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998.

Darline Graham, 62, entered the two-week runoff as the favorite after finishing first in the Aug. 11 special Republican primary with about 33% of the vote. Norman, a five-term congressman and member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, finished second with about 25%.

Neither received the majority required to win the nomination outright.

Trump endorsed Darline Graham before she formally entered the race and intensified his support in the closing days, traveling to Myrtle Beach on Friday to campaign with her and holding a tele-rally Monday.

"I want it to happen," Trump told supporters at Friday's rally. "Good luck, Darline."

MAGA Inc., the super PAC aligned with Trump, also spent nearly $830,000 on calls and text messages supporting Darline Graham in the final days.

She overcame questions about her political experience, particularly after stumbling during the candidates' only runoff debate when asked whether Taiwan and the South China Sea were national security interests for the United States.

"National security is not my thing," Darline Graham said. "I'm not that informed on national security."

Norman seized on the remarks to argue she was not prepared for the Senate.

"This isn't a 'get training on the job.' You can't do that," Norman said during the debate.

Darline Graham countered by emphasizing her three decades in state government and focusing her campaign on domestic concerns, including healthcare costs and affordability.

Norman, 73, sought to make the race a choice between Darline Graham's backing from Trump and his own record as an experienced conservative lawmaker. He received support from former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley; former Sen. Jim DeMint; Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla.; and Mike Lee, R-Utah; and Turning Point Action.