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President Donald Trump's endorsement proved essential for South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham's South Carolina special runoff Senate primary win, which was very much in doubt before the Aug. 25 primary.After Trump recruited Graham to serve out the remainder of her late brother Lindsey Graham's term, Trump pleaded in person with Republican voters in the Palmetto State to send Graham to the November general election at an Aug. 21 campaign rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. And they followed his command."The thing that hammered it home was his visit and telling the MAGA crowd that his endorsement was unequivocal," Scott Huffmon, a political science professor at Winthrop University, told USA TODAY. "Trump left no doubt who he was behind, and they voted the way he told them to, period." That led the Trump-endorsed incumbent and political neophyte to beat hardline conservative Rep. Ralph Norman in the heavily Republican state, 52% to 48%, the Associated Press and NBC News projected.Experts had labeled the race a toss-up and an Aug. 24 poll showed the two contenders tied at 48% each."We did it!" Graham told supporters during her victory speech. "I have mixed emotions right now. I'm still feeling grief, heartache, and immense gratitude. Thank you all again."The gratitude also included thanking Trump for making it happen, with Graham adding that South Carolina "is truly Trump Country."Whether Graham is prepared or not for the job will be the next test in the deeply red state, Danielle Vinson, a politics and international affairs professor at Furman University, told USA TODAY. "Her entire campaign is 'I will follow Donald Trump’s agenda,' Vinson said about Graham. "That’s been her message. Why should she stop now?"Here are the key takeaways from Tuesday's pivotal primary.Trump's endorsement gave Graham 'a pretty solid win'Trump stressed the importance of Graham winning at the Aug. 21 campaign rally. He urged supporters to vote for Graham and wanted them to "pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot. Just come and vote. It’s so important.""The MAGA support came out in full force," Huffmon said, especially in Horry County, where Trump visited in Myrtle Beach."As the votes were coming in, it became obvious she was going to win," Huffmon said. "It wasn’t microscopic; it wasn't overwhelming, but it’s a pretty solid win over a proven candidate."Although Norman won the populous Greenville County, he really couldn’t expand his support base beyond his own congressional district in upstate South Carolina, Vinson said. "Norman couldn’t make inroads further south and east of the state," Vinson said. "He simply couldn't appeal to them."Huffmon said Graham's name recognition helped, "but clearly, and I can't say it enough, the full-throated, unequivocal Trump endorsement and visit gave her a clear victory." Graham's win only adds to Trump's near-perfect primary success rate for his endorsed Republican candidates, including Georgia Senate nominee Mike Collins, Texas Senate nominee Ken Paxton and New York congressional nominee Anthony Constantino, according to Ballotpedia, an online elections website.Trump got more endorsement magic on Aug. 25 as his pick for Oklahoma governor, former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, defeated state Attorney General Gentner Drummond in a Republican primary runoff.Did the 'I'm not a polished politician' gaffe hurt Graham?Based on her runoff win, voters may not mind Graham's lack of political experience, even after Graham was asked during a debate whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are important national security interests for the United States. "I’m not that informed on national security, so — but I do support the military," Graham said. "I'm not a polished politician up here. National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military."The misstep didn't matter, this time, and probably won't going forward, Vinson, the Furman University professor, said."We don’t seem to care," Vinson said. "But Trump isn’t polished, either, and he’s won three times in this state. I guess we have some South Carolina voters who prefer unpolished nonpoliticians." Still, Graham has to become more adept, Huffmon, the Winthrop University professor said, although she will be the favorite against Democratic nominee and political novice Annie Andrews, who has been campaigning for more than a year in the heavily Republican state."Mistakes will happen, but she really has to try really hard not to make gaffes in her debates anymore," Huffmon said.What lies ahead for GrahamDuring her victory speech, Graham couldn't wait to take shots at Andrews, calling her opponent "the most radical liberal ever nominated for a statewide office" by the South Carolina Democratic Party, comparing her views to those of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D- New York."If you like Kamala Harris for President, then you're going to love Dr. Annie Andrews," Graham said, saying conservative South Carolina cannot allow "Democratic socialists to take a foothold" in their state.Andrews is running on a platform of improving healthcare access, including expanding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance (also known as Obamacare) coverage for more South Carolinians and bolstering public health agencies."I am not a socialist. I find it really entertaining that they have nothing to attack me on and are resorting to the same old Republican Party talking points," Andrews said on MS NOW after hearing Graham's comments. "I don't know what's so radical about thinking everyone in this state has access to affordable health care, to be able to see a doctor when they need one? I don't see what's so radical about thinking that every county in South Carolina should have an OBGYN? I don't know what's so radical about families who are working hard to be able to put food on the table and also keep their lights on at the end of the month?"If that's the best Darline has, I think it's going to be a fun and exciting 70 days ahead as we continue to work to build a coalition to flip South Carolina blue in November," Andrews added.Vinson believes Democrats have put up the right challenger in Andrews, as she's seeking to capture young voters, first-timers, moderates, independents, and those who believe their cost of living has become unbearable."Regardless of her chances of winning, she’s generating some enthusiasm," Vinson said. "She also will have to win some Republican voters to stand a chance. That's a tall order."But that could make the Senate race more intriguing, especially against another political novice such as Graham, Vinson said. Andrews has prior campaign experience. In 2022, she ran against Rep. Nancy Mace in South Carolina's 1st Congressional District and lost by 14 percentage points.That could come in handy for Andrews, compared to Graham, who has been mostly guarded throughout the Republican primary races."She cannot hide behind that lack of experience," Vinson said about Graham. "She can’t insulate herself in the general election campaign; it will be really evident against someone like Annie Andrews."Huffmon thinks Graham has to force Andrews to scrape votes away from her."She needs to stick to her talking points, the Republican talking points; She’s pretty safe," Huffmon said. "At this point in South Carolina's history, nuance isn’t as important as it is in purple states."Graham has to be more prepared, and maybe even show a bit more of her personality beyond her Trump talking points, even if she's the favorite to win, Vinson concluded."The sentimentality may only go so far," Vinson said.
