Today's highlights
• Sen. Darline Graham, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, will win the special Republican Senate primary runoff in South Carolina, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, replacing her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, on the general election ballot.
• Another Trump-backed candidate is projected to win the GOP runoff for governor in Oklahoma. CNN projects that former state Sen. Mike Mazzei will defeat Attorney General Gentner Drummond. On the Democratic side, progressive N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas is projected to win the primary for US Senate in the Sooner State, defeating Jim Priest.
Our live coverage of tonight’s primaries has concluded. Please scroll through the posts below for all the details. You also can read our takeaways here.
Catch up on tonight's runoff and special elections in South Carolina, Georgia and Oklahoma
Sen. Darline Graham will win the Republican nomination in South Carolina’s Senate race, CNN’s Decision Desk projected, notching a win for President Donald Trump.
Now favored to win a full term in November, Darline Graham is, in many ways, a senator of Trump’s own making. The president lobbied South Carolina’s governor to appoint her to fill the remaining months in her brother’s term after he died in July. Then, he privately and publicly pressed her to run for a full six-year term.
There were also runoff elections in Georgia’s 13th District and in Oklahoma.
Here are some of the key takeaways:
- A needed win for Trump: Graham took to the stage at her victory party and declared: “South Carolina is truly Trump country.” The win could serve to remind Republican lawmakers who might be looking to distance themselves from an unpopular president of the potential political costs of being at odds with Trump.
- Norman accepts defeat: Graham’s opponent, Rep. Ralph Norman, said he “never understood why” Trump got involved in the race. “But it is what it is, and I’ll accept it,” he said.
- November’s match-up: Graham is now set to face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in November. Andrews challenged Graham to at least three televised debates.
- Another Trump victory in Oklahoma: Former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, who was endorsed by Trump, will defeat Attorney General Gentner Drummond in Oklahoma’s Republican gubernatorial race, CNN projected.
- A short-held house seat in Georgia: CNN projects that Democrat Everton Blair will win the special election for Georgia’s 13th District House seat vacated by the late Rep. David Scott’s death in April. He defeated the longtime lawmaker’s daughter Marcye Scott. But, Blair finished a distant third in the regular House primary earlier this year, so he won’t be on the ballot in November.
- Another Democratic socialist win: N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas will win the Democratic primary for US Senate in Oklahoma, CNN projects, defeating moderate Jim Priest. She now advances to what is likely to be an uphill battle in November’s general election to succeed GOP Sen. Alan Armstrong.
CNN’s Tori B. Powell, Patrick Svitek, Katie Doran and Eric Bradner contributed reporting to this post.
Blair says he's ready to get to work after winning election in Georgia's 13th District
Democrat Everton Blair will only have a few months in Congress, but after his projected win in tonight’s special election for Georgia’s 13th District seat, he said he’s ready to make it count.
The election was to fill a seat vacated by the late Rep. David Scott’s death in April. But, Blair finished a distant third in the regular House primary earlier this year, so he won’t be on the ballot for the full term in November.
Blair, a Democrat who will only serve in the seat until January, said he wants to start voting right away when he gets to Capitol Hill. He said he wants to stand up to the Trump administration and focus on affordability.
“We’re working harder and paying more for less, and we need more people in Congress who are speaking plainly about the recession that we’re already in,” he said. “So members of Congress need to be using the bully pulpit to force this administration to do something better for us.”
Trump-backed Mike Mazzei will win GOP gubernatorial runoff in Oklahoma, CNN projects
Former state Sen. Mike Mazzei will win the runoff for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Oklahoma, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, defeating state Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Mazzei received a major boost from an endorsement by President Donald Trump in the closing weeks of June’s crowded and competitive nominating contest — but it was not enough for him to secure a majority in the vote in the first round of the primary in June and avoid a runoff.
A 12-year veteran of the state Senate and the former budget secretary of outgoing GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt, Mazzei aligned himself closely with Trump’s political network and Oklahoma’s Republican establishment.
He will be favored in the November election to succeed Stitt against Democratic nominee Cyndi Munson.
Here's what Graham's projected win in South Carolina means for Trump
Appointed Sen. Darline Graham’s win in the South Carolina GOP Senate runoff means that President Donald Trump will avoid having another of his endorsed candidates lose a primary this month – at least for now.
He also endorsed in the Oklahoma governor’s race, which currently remains tight with 94% of the vote counted.
Had Graham lost, she would have become the seventh Trump-backed candidate to lose in August alone. We’ve never seen Trump-backed candidates lose like that.
So what does this mean for Trump?
There are reasons to cast this as a pretty significant win for the president.
For one, Trump has taken someone who was almost completely unknown two months ago and put her on a glide path to a full term in the Senate. And while she had a famous last name, that could cut both ways in South Carolina, where many conservative Republicans were not enamored of her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
Trump’s late rally for her on Friday night also seems to have done Graham a lot of good, judging by the huge margins she has run up in Horry County, home to Myrtle Beach, where it was held. She took nearly three-quarters of the vote there.
On the flip side, though, it’s still a Trump-backed candidate winning by a pretty small margin overall. Nearly half of voters rejected Trump’s endorsement.
Perhaps if Norman were a better candidate – he finished third in the state’s gubernatorial primary just two months ago – things would have turned out differently. Maybe he would have done better if he hadn’t initially backed Nikki Haley over Trump in the 2024 GOP primaries.
Primary runoff electorates are also much more dominated by the true-believers in the party, who are more likely to be strong Trump backers. But a Reuters-Ipsos poll this week showed just 35% of Republicans said they strongly approved of Trump.
In other words, Graham’s win is a significant data point in Trump’s favor. But it doesn’t mean Trump is back or that his base problems are suddenly gone – or anything like that.
“South Carolina is truly Trump country," Graham says in victory speech
Sen. Darline Graham celebrated her projected win tonight and honored her late brother in front of a crowd of supporters in Columbia, South Carolina.
“I continue to miss Lindsey every day and there is still a big hole in my heart. But I know he’s looking down right now, very proud of everyone in this room,” she said.
Graham also thanked President Donald Trump, who endorsed her and campaigned with her ahead of the runoff. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Rep. William Timmons were among the elected officials standing behind her.
After her address, the new Republican nominee told reporters that she spoke to Trump tonight and that “he said congratulations.”
During the speech, Graham said her brother viewed Trump as “one of his closest friends,” adding that she appreciates “that bond” and what they both have done for the country.
She said the past weeks have been an “unbelievably challenging time” for her family and recounted conversations with voters about her brother’s legacy. On stage, Graham was surrounded by her husband, both daughters and her son-in-law.
“Thank you, Lindsey, for your service to South Carolina and to this country. It’s just not the same without you here,” she said, appearing to get emotional.
Graham then turned to the general election, calling for Republicans to unite in order to defeat Democrat Annie Andrews. She called her opponent the “most radical liberal” to be nominated in South Carolina.
Though Graham is a political newcomer, she worked to highlight her upbringing and background and vowed to “put South Carolina families first.”
This post has been updated with Graham’s comment about her conversation with Trump.
Norman says he “never understood why” Trump got involved in tonight's runoff
Rep. Ralph Norman mentioned President Donald Trump’s involvement in tonight’s Republican special primary runoff for Senate in South Carolina.
Some context: Norman’s estrangement from Trump predates the Senate runoff, where Trump backed his rival, Darline Graham.
In February 2023, Norman became the first House Republican to endorse Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign, extending an alliance dating to their service together in the state legislature. Notably, Haley reciprocated, endorsing Norman for Senate, while groups aligned with the former UN ambassador spent several hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting his campaign.
CNN’s David Wright contributed reporting.
NRSC chair from SC congratulates Graham
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott was among those congratulating Sen. Darline Graham on Tuesday night for winning the Republican special primary runoff for the state’s other Senate seat.
Scott had somewhat of an awkward role in the contest because he also chairs the Senate GOP campaign arm, and while it traditionally defends incumbents, Graham was an appointed senator running in a crowded field. Scott did not officially back Graham until she advanced to the runoff against Rep. Ralph Norman.
“Senator Darline Graham is the real deal,” Scott said in a statement, calling her win a “major victory.”
Norman said he "couldn’t have done anything different" in campaign
Rep. Ralph Norman said he “couldn’t have done anything different” in his Republican special primary runoff for Senate run in South Carolina.
“We did everything we knew to do,” he said.
CNN’s Decision Desk projected tonight that Sen. Darline Graham, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, will win the runoff.
Graham win is another victory for clean energy group
Sen. Darline Graham’s victory in the Republican special primary runoff for Senate in South Carolina is another win for a super PAC focused on clean energy, the Invest in Tomorrow Coalition.
The group spent $1 million against her opponent, Rep. Ralph Norman, viewing him as hostile to the renewable energy industry. The super PAC previously helped defeat Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tennessee) in his primary and spent against Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) as he unsuccessfully ran for Texas attorney general.
South Carolina Republican Party congratulates Graham
After a “hard-fought primary runoff,” the South Carolina Republican Party congratulated Sen. Darline Graham as she is projected to be the GOP nominee in the state’s Senate race.
He called for the party to rally around Graham and turn its attention to November. Graham will be favored to win the red state against Democrat Annie Andrews.
Andrews challenges Graham to debates
Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee for Senate in South Carolina, challenged Sen. Darline Graham to at least three televised debates after she won the Republican nomination in the race Tuesday night.
Andrews, a pediatrician, faces an uphill battle in a state that has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2006. But she said voters deserve to hear more from Graham, a political newcomer who stumbled in her primary runoff debate against Rep. Ralph Norman.
Darline Graham will win South Carolina GOP runoff for late brother's seat, CNN projects
Sen. Darline Graham will win the special Republican Senate runoff in South Carolina, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, replacing her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, on the general election ballot.
Darline Graham, a political newcomer, was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster to finish out her brother’s term after he died suddenly in July.
She benefitted from the support of President Donald Trump, who endorsed her for the full Senate term before she even announced plans to run and campaigned with her ahead of the runoff. Graham finished first in a special primary earlier this month, but with only about a third of the vote, forcing her into a runoff with Rep. Ralph Norman.
Some Republicans have bristled at the appearance that Graham was being set up to inherit the seat over more experienced candidates. In November, she’ll be favored to win against Democratic Senate nominee Annie Andrews, a physician, in the solidly red state.
A moderate Republican who has tangled with Trump could win in Oklahoma
While all eyes are on whether Trump’s endorsed candidate wins in the South Carolina Senate GOP runoff, the Republican runoff in the Oklahoma governor’s race provides some rather unusual and fascinating dynamics.
As in South Carolina, Trump has picked a side. He’s endorsed former state Sen. Mike Mazzei over state Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
But unlike in South Carolina, the alternative is a pretty moderate Republican whom Trump has lashed out at – and still appears to have a chance.
Drummond is a businessman who has crafted a bipartisan reputation and balked at some policy initiatives of the far-right in Oklahoma, like public funding of religious charter schools.
Reinforcing how unusual a candidate he is, Drummond just two days before Tuesday’s election actually criticized Trump’s tariffs and plans to import more foreign beef to lower prices. Some Republicans have opposed these things, but you usually don’t see them broadcast these disagreements when they’re asking for votes from Trump supporters.
“I’m unafraid to disagree with the president when he’s wrong, and he’s wrong on tariffs. He’s wrong on importing cheap beef,” Drummond told NewsNation.
Trump has criticized Drummond too – in much more severe terms. On at least three occasions since June, Trump has issued lengthy social-media posts calling Drummond a “fake Republican” and hitting him on issues like opposing an aluminum plant supported by the administration.
“Drummond is not the right guy. He’s got a bad attitude, and he doesn’t stand for the Values of Oklahoma …” Trump posted on Monday.
Despite all of that, Drummond leads narrowly in early returns on Tuesday night.
N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas will win Democratic Senate runoff in Oklahoma, CNN projects
N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas will win the Democratic primary for US Senate in Oklahoma, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, defeating moderate Jim Priest.
Thomas mounted a progressive campaign for her party’s nomination in the rural, conservative state — highlighting her background as a Black woman and a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and her commitment to progressive priorities, as well as her husband’s military service.
She now advances to what is likely to be an uphill battle in November’s general election to succeed GOP Sen. Alan Armstrong, whom Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed to Markwayne Mullin’s vacant seat after President Donald Trump elevated Mullin to homeland security secretary.
Armstrong pledged not to run for election to a full term this fall, and Trump’s preferred candidate, US Rep. Kevin Hern, won the GOP primary earlier this summer.
Democrat Everton Blair will win special election in Georgia's 13th District, CNN projects
Democrat Everton Blair, a former Gwinnett County School Board chair, will win the special runoff election for Georgia’s 13th District, CNN’s Decision Desk projects, defeating late Rep. David Scott’s daughter, Marcye Scott.
Blair will finish out the longtime Democratic lawmaker’s term in office, which ends in January. The 80-year-old Scott, who was seeking reelection, died suddenly in April.
Blair will be the first out gay member of Congress from Georgia.
He campaigned on bringing a new perspective to the chamber, pledging to be a stronger opponent to President Donald Trump and advocate for a more progressive affordability agenda than both the late congressman and his daughter.
Blair will not be on the ballot in November for a full term in the Atlanta metropolitan area seat after he fell short in this summer’s primary.
Graham running up score in county where Trump held rally on Friday
In the Republican special primary runoff for Senate in South Carolina, Sen. Darline Graham has a massive lead over Rep. Ralph Norman in Horry County.
The county is home to Myrtle Beach, where President Donald Trump held a rally for Graham on Friday.
With 75% of the vote in, Graham has 73% of the vote in the county, compared with 27% for Norman. It is the second most populous county in the state.
Horry County is part of the congressional district held by Rep. Russell Fry, who finished third in the special primary earlier this month. He endorsed Graham days later and attended Trump’s rally for Graham.
Graham headquarters should be encouraged by early results, CNN's John King says
While noting it was early in the count, CNN’s John King said tonight that results so far suggest that Republican Sen. Darline Graham should be feeling good about the Senate runoff in South Carolina.
He told CNN’s Erin Burnett that Graham had nearly a 15 point lead with 11% of the vote tabulated.
Her opponent, Ralph Norman, is running strong in the same areas he did well in two weeks ago in the GOP special primary. But Graham is taking the lead in all other counties, and leading in the counties where another candidate, Russell Fry, did well two weeks.
The two top candidates in the primary, Graham and Norman, advanced to today’s runoff.
Norman needs to hope for more votes from more populous areas of South Carolina, King said. But the Graham campaign should be “very happy” at this moment, he added.
Supporters start arriving at Darline Graham's watch party
Supporters are starting to fill the main room at Sen. Darline Graham’s watch party in Columbia, South Carolina.
A few elected state officials, her staff and Graham’s husband and 17-year-old daughter have been milling around chatting with supporters and the media.
Polls are now closed in Oklahoma's runoffs
It is 8 p.m. ET and polls are now closed in Oklahoma’s runoff elections, where the race to become the Republican gubernatorial nominee is putting a President Donald Trump-endorsed candidate to the test and ideologically divided Democrats are vying for the Senate nomination.
Here’s what to know:
Republican governor: In the crowded primary to replace term-limited Gov. Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei each received only about a quarter of the vote, but they placed first and second, respectively.
Mazzei had Trump’s endorsement before the first round, and the president responded to Drummond’s first-place showing by doubling down on his endorsement and repeatedly calling Drummond a “FAKE Republican.”
Democratic Senate: Democratic socialist N’kiyla Jasmine Thomas, a nurse, finished first in the primary. She’s facing Jim Priest, an attorney and centrist who argues he’s more electable in the red state. But either candidate would be a longshot in November against Trump-backed Republican Senate nominee Kevin Hern. Oklahoma has not elected a Democrat for Senate since 1990.
