Trump nabs crucial primary wins in South Carolina, Oklahoma: 4 takeaways

President Trump notched two critical wins in South Carolina and Oklahoma on Tuesday, with Sen. Darline Graham (S.C.) and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei (Okla.) clinching the GOP nominations in their respective primary runoff races.

The Republican contests for South Carolina Senate and Oklahoma governor served as another key test of the president’s influence in the GOP as several of his gubernatorial and House picks have fallen short in their primaries this cycle.

Graham defeated Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) by nearly 5 percentage points while Mazzei eked out Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond by about half a point, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Graham, who was appointed to serve the remainder of her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.), term in the upper chamber, faced growing questions around her lack of political experience after a gaffe on the debate stage last week.

But Trump’s endorsement carried both her and Mazzei across the finish line, underscoring the president’s firm grip on the party in key contests ahead of the November midterms. Trump had ripped Mazzei’s opponent in the days ahead of Tuesday’s contest.

Meanwhile, a democratic socialist won the Democratic nod for Senate in Oklahoma, while a new Georgia Democrat is heading to Washington, D.C. , to fill the remainder of the late Rep. David Scott’s (D) term.

Here are the key takeaways from Tuesday’s elections:

Trump’s successful coronation in South Carolina

Graham pulled it off in South Carolina — helping Trump avoid an embarrassing primary loss.

Trump threw his political weight behind the incumbent and visited the state last week to rally alongside Graham. His super PAC MAGA Inc. also invested $827,000 in the contest, marking the group’s largest investment so far this election cycle.

“South Carolina is truly Trump country,” Darline Graham told supporters during her victory speech on Tuesday.

“Lindsey truly loved you and viewed you as one of his closest friends. I appreciate that bond and appreciate all that you’ve done for our country,” she said, directing her remarks to Trump. “Our victory would not have been possible without you, and we are truly grateful.”

Polling released ahead of Tuesday’s contest showed the incumbent and Norman effectively tied after a stumble on the debate stage last week sparked speculation that Graham could potentially fall short on Tuesday.

In response to a question from the debate moderator about Taiwan and the South China Sea, Graham replied, “I’m just going to be honest here. I’m not that informed on national security.”

“But I do support the military,” she added.

Norman seized the moment, contrasting his near decade in the House with the incumbent’s political inexperience. But several Republicans, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and the president, came to her defense.

“She’s very smart, and she was being honest. She’s into the price of groceries … She is going to do what the military wants, and really what the president wants,” Trump told reporters Friday.

Graham’s win is particularly notable given the president’s initial gubernatorial pick — South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (R) — lost. He had also backed Attorney General Alan Wilson in the race, but the outcome prompted questions about whether South Carolina Republicans would buck the president’s endorsee again.

The Republican nominee will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the general election.

Trump bucks gubernatorial losing streak in Oklahoma

Trump came out on top in a tight Oklahoma governor’s GOP runoff with Mazzei’s victory over Drummond.

The president’s endorsement track record has been spotty in gubernatorial primaries this year. His initial picks for governor in Minnesota , Iowa , South Carolina , Georgia and Wyoming were all defeated.

He also notched a handful of high-profile primary losses in the House this month, including GOP Reps. Andy Ogles (Tenn.) and Cory Mills (Fla.) None of his choices for the Senate have lost their primaries so far this year.

Still, he president boasted his primary scorecard earlier this week, writing that his “endorsements are stronger than ever” on social media.

Drummond narrowly led Mazzei in the initial June primary runoff. The race took a nasty turn, with Mazzei releasing a drug test this week after public pressure from Drummond, who did the same.

In the days ahead of the runoff, Trump also hammered the attorney general , calling him a “fake Republican.” Drummond, a rancher, opposed a Trump-backed aluminum plant in the state and in recent days has slammed the president’s decision to import beef and tariff Canadian goods.

“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 Sunday.

Mazzei will face Democrat Cyndi Munson, the minority leader of the state House, in November.

Socialist wins primary in the Sooner State

Democratic socialists notched another win Tuesday — this time in Oklahoma.

N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas is projected to secure the Democratic nomination to take on Rep. Kevin Hern (R) for Senate. She defeated Jim Priest, a centrist Democrat, to clinch the nod in the ruby red state.

Although Thomas, a nurse, is unlikely to win in November — an Oklahoma Democrat has not served in the Senate since 1994 — her victory underscores the surging energy on the left this primary cycle.

Progressives and democratic socialists have knocked out incumbents and clinched key party nominations across the country this year. In Florida, state Rep. Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist, pulled off on upset to take on Republican Sen. Ashley Moody this fall, while progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated moderate Rep. Haley Stevens for the Democratic nod for Michigan Senate. El-Sayed does not identify as a socialist.

Concerns from the Democratic establishment, however, have dominated conversation , with some party leaders arguing more moderate candidates are better equipped to take on Republicans in general elections in battleground and red states.

But recent polling suggests that Democrats view socialism more favorably than capitalism and that a third of Democrats identify as democratic socialists.

New Georgia Democrat heads to Capitol Hill

The late Rep. David Scott’s daughter was defeated in the special election runoff for his Atlanta-based seat.

David Scott was first elected to Congress in 2002 and later served as the first Black chair of the House Agriculture Committee. He passed away in April at age 80.

Former Gwinnett County Board of Education chair Everton Blair is poised to defeat Marcye Scott by about 6 percentage points, with 95 percent of the vote reported as of late Tuesday.

Marcye Scott led Blair by just over 10 points in the initial special election in July. Marcye Scott was backed by Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters (Calif.) and Nikema Williams (Ga.), while Blair notched support from Georgia Rep. Lucy McBath (D).

Blair will only serve on Capitol Hill for a handful of months. Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Clark won the May primary for the full two-year term for David Scott’s seat, and she is expected to easily win in the blue stronghold this November.

Blair will join Democrat Aisha Wahab as new members of the 119th Congress when the House is back in session Wahab narrowly won a special election last week for former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s seat in California. The former congressman resigned amid sexual assault allegations, which he has denied. Wahab is running for a full two-year term in November.

It is unclear what date Blair and Wahab will be sworn in by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). The House returns from recess on Aug. 31.

Once the pair of Democrats are inducted, the minority will increase from 212 to 214 members. Republicans currently hold the majority with 218 seats.

Julia Mueller contributed to this report. Updated at 10:58 p.m. EDT