(WASHINGTON) — Sen. Darline Graham — a political newcomer appointed to the seat held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham — will win a special GOP primary runoff to replace her brother on the South Carolina ballot, The Associated Press projected Tuesday.

Graham, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump, defeated Rep. Ralph Norman, a staunch conservative and member of the hard line Freedom Caucus, who had also advanced to the runoff following South Carolina’s special Senate primary earlier this month.

Graham will face Democratic candidate Annie Andrews in November.

Speaking to a crowd of triumphant supporters Tuesday night in Columbia, South Carolina, Graham struck a reflective tone at times.

“The past few weeks have been an unbelievably challenging time for our family, but you know what? We did it,” she said, while adding that she was feeling “mixed emotions” given her grief over her brother.

As she thanked God, her key supporters and her family, Graham also effusively thanked Trump for his support and endorsement, describing the “bond” between her brother and the president and telling the crowd, to raucous cheers, “South Carolina is truly Trump country.”

Graham framed her outsider status as an asset, while pointing to Trump’s support as one of the key reasons conservatives should support her bid for a full term. Trump threw more than just a social media endorsement behind her: he flew to Myrtle Beach for a rally on Friday, in one of his first major campaign stops during the 2026 midterms.

“Now, the critics say I shouldn’t run for the Senate. They say I’m not a politician. You know what I say? Guilty as charged,” Graham said during the rally to cheers. “And by the way, President Trump had never served in an elected office before, and I think he’s done a damn good job.”

Trump, later on, effusively praised Graham, saying “she only knows how to put America first.”

Norman, meanwhile, said that his experience is his “resume” and that conservatives in the Palmetto State could trust him more than a relative unknown like Graham.

“The establishment has already picked their candidate. Same old playbook, same old insiders. I’m not their choice. And this election is not for sale,” he said in a campaign ad.

He also questioned why Trump has gotten involved in the race in GOP-favoring South Carolina instead of focusing on ones where the GOP faces an uphill battle against Democrats. The White House, asked about some of Norman’s comments about Trump, pointed to Trump’s previous social media posts where he endorsed Graham.

Graham, on her end, faced scrutiny from many fellow Republicans over her lack of political experience and occasional missteps on the trail.

During a one-on-one debate she had with Norman last Tuesday, she was asked if Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security issues for the United States. She answered, “I’m not that informed on national security. But I do support the military … 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 comment, which contrasted with her brother’s major focus on national security, sparked criticism from Norman’s allies, including former Gov. Nikki Haley.

“Lindsey Graham was well informed on the United States’ national security. Darline Graham admits she’s not. This is not something you inherit. And it’s critical in the U.S. Senate,” Haley wrote on X last week.

Norman, in an interview with local outlet WHNS posted on Thursday, called Graham’s answer “surprising” and hammered her for her lack of experience. “There’s no more important issue than national security … there’s no time for training on the job,” he said.

But Graham, while admitting she feels she got the answer wrong — telling Fox News she “tripped up on one question” — told voters at an event last week, “To me, as I’ve walked around this room and I’ve asked people, ‘Are y’all concerned about Taiwan?’ You know what they said? No, they’re concerned about the price of groceries, the price of gas, rising healthcare costs.”

She also said she believes national security is important and she will become more informed about it. “Everybody has a first day on the job. President Trump — was he a politician [when he was first elected]? Has he done a good job? Yes, he has,” she told attendees.

Heading into the runoff, David Woodard, a political scientist who also managed some of Lindsey Graham’s early congressional campaigns, but did not work on this Senate race, told ABC News that he expected relatively low turnout and that those showing up to vote in such an off-cycle election are likely among the most opinionated, plugged-in Republicans.

“I think on the first round, people I was talking to had sympathy for Darline, thought it was great she’d serve out Lindsey’s term,” he said, adding that some of them “think that Ralph Norman has credibility on issues that Darline lacks.”

But heading into Tuesday some voters said they find Trump’s endorsement of her, as well as her focus on the economy, a strong selling point.

Mike Funderburk, a contractor from Neeses, South Carolina, who voted early for Graham, said the economy is his top issue.

“I think she’s probably going to have a steep learning curve,” he said. “But I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.”

ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department suggested in a court filing Tuesday that the Kennedy Center could face demolition in the event a federal judge issues an order permanently blocking President Donald Trump’s push to renovate the facility with additions intended to recognize Trump personally.

In an extraordinary filing that at times reads like a post from Trump’s social media platform, Brantley Mayers — a top official in DOJ’s Civil Division — argues the “decrepit” Kennedy Center faces an imminent “death spiral” without Trump’s intervention.

“Without those efforts, the Center will deteriorate further into an unsafe, decrepit structure that will be required to be taken down, with a determination to follow on what to build on the site, such as a large outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River that has been proposed, by some, for many years,” the filing said. “Such a replacement will fail to adequately honor President John F. Kennedy, but would be simpler and more economical to build, operate, and maintain.”

Mayers uses the filing to repeatedly attack Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, a member of the Kennedy Center’s board who filed suit last year to have Trump’s name removed from the building. Beatty’s lawsuit argued the board’s vote to rename the building was illegal because an act of Congress is required for such an action.

Permitting Beatty’s legal efforts to continue, Mayers warns the federal judge overseeing the lawsuit, “almost guarantees the continued decline and eventual demise of the Kennedy Center, probably leading to the construction of a new, but very different kind, of venue.”

The department describes the initiatives approved by the Kennedy Center’s board that intend to honor Trump personally for his effort — including adding the inscription “Renovated and Restored by President Donald J. Trump” on the front of the building and renaming the site that contains the Center the “President Donald J. Trump Plaza” — as “crucial” to ensure payments from donors who have already pledged to help fund the renovation effort. 

“An order blocking the Board from appropriately recognizing President Trump will cause donors to flee, financial contributions to dry up, and structural rehabilitation to stop,” the department argues. “There will simply not be the expertise or funding necessary to rebuild and renovate this decimated structure.  The Trump Administration is ready to go but, without it, the Kennedy Center cannot be saved.” 

This is a developing story. 

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday morning that he is giving “serious consideration” to renaming Lake Ontario “Lake America” — mirroring his move to rename the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America early in his second term.

Trump later posted on his social media platform an altered map of the lake and surrounding area. 

The map posted by Trump depicts the great lake with the official “Lake Ontario” label crossed out. In its place is a “Lake America” label in a larger, gold-colored font and a graphic of an American flag.

Just like the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Ontario is a shared international waterway and multiple international, federal and regional agencies oversee it.  

Split along the U.S.-Canada border, New York state and Ontario each govern their own portion of the lakebed and shoreline. The U.S. and Canada jointly manage it through the International Joint Commission and Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

And just like the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, Trump can unilaterally change a geographic name for official U.S. federal government use, like his action via executive order in that case — but he doesn’t have the authority to dictate what other countries or international bodies call it.

Trump on Tuesday also rejected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s claims that the U.S. was making threats on Canada’s use of the French language, as opposed to English, as part of the ongoing trade war. Trump said on social media that he would “never interfere with Canadians speaking French.”

“I have never even thought of doing such a stupid thing. This lie was made up by a weak and ineffective Prime Minister in an attempt to gain political support, which he has totally lost, from the people of Quebec. I love French Canadians!” Trump posted on his social media platform. 

During a press conference on Saturday, Carney claimed that one of the reasons the trade talks with the U.S. collapsed is because the Trump administration wanted Canada to make changes to their use of the French language. 

“This was not our choice. We were ready and close to having a comprehensive agreement that would be fair to both countries. But they made changes, including threats on the French language and Quebec culture and Canadian culture. That is not acceptable. That would never be acceptable,” Carney said. 

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(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge on Friday struck down the Trump administration’s policy suspending immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, setting aside refusals based solely on the policy and requiring those cases to be reconsidered by consular officers under the normal immigration laws.

U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas said the policy, announced by the State Department in January, “is contrary to law and was issued in excess of Secretary Rubio’s statutory authority.”

The directive instructed U.S. embassies and consulates to suspend immigrant visa adjudications while the State Department reassessed its vetting procedures under existing immigration law.

The State Department said in January the pause was intended to “prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”

Vargas said Friday the policy conflicts with federal immigration law, which gives consular officers “exclusive authority and discretion” to determine whether an immigrant is eligible for a visa.

“The Policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme,” Vargas wrote.

The judge’s order also vacates visa denials that were based solely on the policy. 

“The suspension of lawful visa processing across 75 countries separated spouses, parents, and children who were simply following the legal immigration process,” said Anna Gallagher, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., the group that filed the lawsuit challenging the policy.

“Catholic social teaching calls us to uphold the dignity of every person and recognize the family as the foundation of society,” Gallagher added. “Today’s decision affirms both those values and the rule of law, allowing families to once again move forward toward reunification.”

The State Department did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment, nor has it indicated it is going to appeal the decision.

“The Trump administration is bringing an end to the abuse of America’s immigration system by those who would extract wealth from the American people,” a State Department spokesman said in a statement when the policy was announced. “The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people.”

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(WASHINGTON) — The FBI seized former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell’s electronic devices as part of an ongoing criminal probe, according to sources familiar with the situation. 

Swalwell was served with a search warrant for his cellphone and other electronic devices while he was at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday night, according to sources, and agents served a search warrant at his Washington, D.C., home on Sunday.

Swalwell resigned from Congress in April after being accused of sexual misconduct and was about to face efforts by his colleagues to have him expelled from the House.

Swalwell had suspended his campaign for California governor the day before after the San Francisco Chronicle reported that an ex-staffer alleged that he sexually assaulted her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent.

The House Ethics Committee announced the same day that it was investigating the allegations against him.

Lonna Drewes said in a news conference after Swalwell’s resignation that he raped her in 2018 and believes he drugged her drink when the two were planning to attend a political event. 

Drewes is one of at least six women who have made allegations of sexual misconduct against Swalwell.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced it is launching an investigation into Drewes’ allegations against Swalwell.

Swalwell has denied the allegations.

In a statement posted on X announcing that he intended to resign from Congress, Swalwell said that he was “deeply sorry” to his family, staff and constituents but that “he will fight the serious, false allegation made against me.”

“I am aware of efforts to bring an immediate expulsion vote against me and other members. Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong,” Swalwell said. “But it’s also wrong for my constituents to have me distracted from my duties. Therefore, I plan to resign my seat in Congress.” 

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is also investigating allegations against Swalwell, a source familiar with the investigation told ABC News.

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has nominated White House Domestic Policy Council Deputy Director Heidi Overton to be the next commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

“Dr. Heidi has been a ROCKSTAR in my Administration, where she has worked directly with Secretary Kennedy, Dr. Oz, and team, to deliver on the MOST TRANSFORMATIVE Health Agenda in History,” Trump said in a social media post, adding that he wants her “leadership at the FDA now to ensure that the U.S. remains the WORLD LEADER for Scientific Discovery and CURES.”

Overton has been Trump’s deputy assistant during his second term, advising him on health policies, including lowering prescription drug prices. Overton has stood alongside Trump for several major health announcements at the White House, including his executive order signing on childhood vaccines earlier this month.

She has espoused anti-abortion views and supported reductions to the childhood immunization schedule, touting the use of “gold-standard science” and restoring vaccination authority to parents while at that executive order signing.

Overton is a physician who holds a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to that role, she was vice chair of the America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Center for a Healthy America, where Overton was also the chief policy officer, a nonprofit that aims to advance policies that it says put the American people first. AFPI was run by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins before Rollins was tapped to join the president’s Cabinet. Several Trump administration officials held positions there before he was reelected, including Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

The FDA is one of several agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy expressed his support for Overton on Wednesday, calling her the “best person for the job.”

“Heidi brings exceptional judgment, professionalism, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to the American people,” Kennedy wrote in a social media post. “I have seen her challenge assumptions, demand excellence, and turn bold ideas into meaningful results.”

The FDA commissioner position requires Senate confirmation. During confirmation hearings, Overton is expected to face questions that will test her loyalty to the president, similar to previous confirmation hearings for Trump administration health leaders.

If confirmed, Overton is expected to continue to support the president’s health agenda.

“She’s gonna stay in line because she’s tested,” a source familiar told ABC News. “She’s a loyalist to the president. That’s kind of his thinking behind all of this — to keep loyalists in these top jobs.”

The job is one of the nation’s top health posts and has remained without permanent leadership amid the foodborne illness outbreaks of cyclospora and salmonella.

A senior administration official told ABC News that acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas was offered the full-time job several times and declined. Diamantas, who has been leading the investigation into the health outbreaks, has been touted as the driving force behind the administration’s food policy and stressed that America’s food supply is safe despite consumers’ health concerns.

Overton will ultimately be replacing former FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, who resigned in May amid clashes with the White House over pressure from Trump to authorize fruit-flavored vapes. FDA employees, who previously spoke to ABC News on the condition of anonymity, said that they were concerned about the future of the agency’s leadership after Makary’s exit. They said the angst stems from a rollercoaster-like experience, including witnessing 20% of the FDA’s staff being reduced during the president’s second term.

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