📰 August 25, 2026 Primary Results: Oklahoma, South Carolina and Georgia Runoffs

by L. Mendoza

One night, three states, and the shape of November began to come into focus. On Tuesday, August 25, 2026, voters in Oklahoma, South Carolina and Georgia returned to the polls to settle primary runoffs in some of the most-watched races of the year — including a special U.S. Senate contest to replace the late Lindsey Graham and a race for Oklahoma governor that could decide the state's next chief executive.

Here are the verified results from the night, what they mean for the November 3 midterms, and the context you need to understand each race.

Which States Held Primary Runoffs on August 25, 2026?

According to the Associated Press, three states held primary runoffs on August 25, 2026. Runoffs occur when no candidate clears the majority threshold in an earlier primary. Oklahoma voters finalized nominees in runoffs for governor, U.S. Senate and several other statewide and legislative offices. In South Carolina, Republicans returned to the polls for a special runoff to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham on the fall ballot. In Georgia, voters in the 13th Congressional District chose a representative to fill the remainder of the late Democratic U.S. Rep. David Scott's term.

These runoffs followed an earlier round of 2026 primary elections. According to VOTE411 and the National Conference of State Legislatures, August primaries had already been held on August 4 (Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, Washington), August 6 (Tennessee), August 8 (Hawaii) and August 18 (Alaska, Florida, Wyoming). The general election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Who Won the South Carolina Race to Replace Lindsey Graham?

Sen. Darline Graham — the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and the president's pick — claimed the Republican nomination in the state's special Senate primary runoff, according to the Associated Press and CNN. With nearly all ballots counted, Graham received 52.5% of the vote to U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman's 47.6%, winning 34 of South Carolina's 46 counties.

Lindsey Graham, a U.S. senator for more than two decades, won the party's primary in June but died the following month. Days later, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to serve out the remainder of her brother's term, which expires in January 2027. President Trump publicly pressed her to run for the full six-year term and endorsed her. She will face Annie Andrews, a Charleston-area pediatrician and the Democratic nominee, in the November general election.

Who Won the Oklahoma Governor and Senate Runoffs?

Mike Mazzei, a former state senator who served as Gov. Kevin Stitt's Secretary of Budget and is endorsed by Trump, won the Republican nomination for governor, defeating Attorney General Gentner Drummond by roughly 2,000 votes in one of the closest statewide contests in a decade, according to the Oklahoma Watch and the AP. Mazzei, who loaned his own campaign more than $11 million, will face Democratic Oklahoma House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson and independent candidates in November.

In the Democratic race for U.S. Senate, Ardmore nurse N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas defeated Oklahoma City attorney Jim Priest by an 18-point margin. Thomas will look to upset Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern in November; no Democrat has won a U.S. Senate race in Oklahoma since David Boren in 1990. Republicans also chose Bob Sullivan, a political newcomer, over Marty Quinn for insurance commissioner in the GOP runoff.

What About the Oklahoma State Questions on the August 25 Ballot?

Alongside the candidate runoffs, Oklahoma voters decided the fate of two state questions on the August 25 ballot, according to The Oklahoman. These statewide referenda were decided by voters of all parties on the same runoff date, adding policy decisions to the crowded primary ballot.

While detailed statewide vote headings and certification were still being finalized after the runoffs, the outcome of these ballot measures — along with several state Senate and House district runoffs, including Senate District 26 won by Jessica Winegeart — will shape Oklahoma's legislative and policy landscape heading into the November general election.

How Do These Results Affect the November 3 General Election?

The August 25 runoffs set up the fall ballot in two states that matter for congressional control. In South Carolina, the GOP nomination for the late Lindsey Graham's seat went to a Trump-backed political newcomer with no legislative experience, beating an established five-term congressman — a sign of Trump's continued sway with Republican primary voters, even in a rare special-election context.

In Oklahoma, Trump again demonstrated influence, as his endorsed candidate Mazzei edged out a sitting attorney general for the governor's nomination — a victory tied closely to Mazzei's support for the controversial aluminum smelter project in Inola that the president backs. These primaries are among the last of the 2026 cycle, and attention now shifts fully to the Tuesday, November 3, 2026 midterm election, when the general election will decide control of the U.S. House and Senate, plus dozens of governorships and key state races.

Where Can You Verify the Final Certified Results?

Unofficial results reported on election night are typically updated over the following days as counties and states count absentee and provisional ballots. For final, certified outcomes, consult each state's official election authority: the South Carolina Election Commission, the Oklahoma State Election Board, and the Georgia Secretary of State's office.

The Associated Press provides authoritative, continuously updated election results for all three states at apnews.com, and major outlets including NBC News and CNN maintain national live maps. Because close races like the Oklahoma governor's contest can shift as ballots are counted, always confirm final results with official state sources before relying on them.

Verified Official Sources

• Source: AP News - August 25, 2026 Election Results
• Source: NBC News - 2026 Primary Elections Live Results
• Source: FVAP - 2026 Primary Elections Calendar
• Source: NCSL - 2026 State Primary Election Dates
• Source: VOTE411 - 2026 State Primary Elections

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