President Trump’s sway over Republican voters just got a fresh jolt of validation in the South. After a month in which six of Trump’s picks lost their GOP primaries, Tuesday’s elections in South Carolina and Oklahoma brought signs that his endorsement still holds weight.

・Sen. Darline Graham: The political newcomer and sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham captured South Carolina’s GOP Senate nomination on Tuesday over five-term Rep. Ralph Norman, thanks in large part to Trump’s full-throttle backing, per the New York Times. She is, “in many ways, a senator of Trump’s own making,” after he lobbied for her temporary appointment, then urged her to run, per CNN.

・A rare Trump push: “Pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot,” Trump told voters on the campaign trail. This suggests “an in-person appeal” by the president could make the difference, per the Washington Post. Trump’s super PAC, MAGA Inc., also dropped more than $800,000 on the South Carolina runoff, flooding voters with texts.

・Mike Mazzei: In Oklahoma, former state lawmaker Mike Mazzei, Trump’s pick in the GOP governor primary runoff, narrowly edged Attorney General Gentner Drummond. Trump backed Mazzai after he supported a $4 billion aluminum smelter Trump had championed, per the Times. Trump personally campaigned against Drummond, who sued over the project and was labeled a “fake Republican” and “Trump hater.”

・To come: Graham’s opponent, Democratic nominee Annie Andrews now wants her to answer for her alignment with Trump, per CNN. “No appointment, endorsement, or family connection entitles anyone to six years” in the Senate, the pediatrician said Tuesday, challenging Graham, the favored candidate, to at least three televised debates.