In Big Upset, Republicans Lose South Carolina Seat They Held For 28 Years

In a big upset for President Donald Trump's Republican Party, the Democrats on Tuesday won a US Senate seat in South Carolina that they held for over 28 years.

Democrat Annie Andrews, a paediatrician, defeated Republican Darline Graham, who was trying to fill the shoes of her late brother, Lindsey Graham. Follow live updates

Darline Graham
Photo Credit: AFP

Democrats, who needed a net four seats to overturn Republicans' 53-47 majority, had not won a Senate election in the deeply conservative southern state since 1998. Before Andrews, Fritz Hollings was the last Democrat elected to a Senate seat in South Carolina, winning his final term in 1998.

Republicans have held both Senate seats since he left office in 2005. Only one Democrat, Jim Clyburn, currently represents the state in the US House.

The victory also made Andrews the first woman elected to represent South Carolina in the US Senate.

After the sudden death of his ally, Lindsey Graham, in July, Trump handpicked his sister Darline to fill his seat.

Trump encouraged her to run for a full six-year term despite her low profile and political inexperience.

Graham won a special runoff election for the Republican nomination with Trump's backing, but she acknowledged during the primary that she's "not that informed on national security."

Republicans also lost in North Carolina, where former governor Roy Cooper defeated Trump's chosen candidate Michael Whatley.

Democrats Seize US House, Near Senate Takeover

Democrats have won the US House of Representatives and closed in on control of the Senate.

A fourth Republican Senate seat fell to Democrats in Ohio, where former senator Sherrod Brown won his comeback bid. The party has now gained the four seats needed to overturn the Republicans' 53-47 majority, provided it holds all its own seats -- some of which remain uncalled.

The US went to the polls on Tuesday in midterm elections that will determine who controls Congress for the final two years of Trump's term. At stake in the elections were all 435 seats of the House and 37 seats in the 100-member Senate. Elections were also held for the post of Governor in 36 states.