COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — US Sen. Darline Graham won the Republican nomination to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham on South Carolina’s general election ballot, notching another win for President Donald Trump after he threw his support behind the political novice.

Darline Graham defeated US Rep. Ralph Norman in Tuesday’s special Republican primary runoff, two weeks after they were the top two finishers in a 10-way primary.

Despite being a political unknown, Darline Graham bested some of South Carolina’s top political names in the special election spun up after her brother’s sudden death last month. She was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster to serve out the remaining months of her late brother’s current term and swiftly notched an endorsement from Trump, who encouraged her to enter the race for a full term and campaigned for her in the state last week.

Graham will face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in November.

On Monday, MAGA Inc., the super PAC that supports Trump and aligned Republicans — but that has spent little thus far on Trump’s picks in this year’s midterms — spent nearly $830,000 for voter calls and text message blasts in support of Graham.

Among the unknowns going into Tuesday was whether Trump’s backing would be enough to boost the novice candidate with the famous last name, but whose political positions were previously unknown, across the finish line to the nomination.

After losing a top Senate advocate when Lindsey Graham died July 11, Trump angled to play a role in picking his successor.

Trump heralded the selection of Darline Graham to serve as her brother’s interim replacement as “a fabulous tribute.” He also urged her to run in the special primary, endorsing her before she’d made her candidacy official.

On Friday in Myrtle Beach, Trump reiterated that sentiment to a crowd of several thousand, encouraging people to vote for Graham to preserve tax cuts, among other things.

“I want it to happen,” he said. “Good luck,........

© The Times of Israel