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Republican Ralph Norman had a good birthday Tuesday night, winning the special election to fill South Carolinas 5th District seat, albeit by a closer-than-expected margin.

Norman defeated Democrat Archie Parnell 51 percent to 48percent, with 100percent of precincts reporting, according to The Associated Press.

Norman, a former state representative, replacesformer Rep. Mick Mulvaney, who vacated the seat in February to become director of the Office of Management and Budget.

The incoming congressmanhas said he wants to join the House Freedom Caucus, of which his predecessor was a co-founder. (The caucus is invitation only.)

South Carolinas special election never caught on the way special elections did in Kansas, Montana or especially Georgia, where voters also went to the polls Tuesday. Democrats failed to rally behind Parnell, a former Goldman Sachs adviser, in a much tougher district for the party than Georgias 6th District.

President Donald Trump carried South Carolinas 5th District by nearly 19 points last fall.

Norman has fully embraced Trump, saying in a Saturday morning interview that the president is still popular in the district.Norman praised Trumps selection of Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court and said hed support a Trump plan for infrastructure spending.

Hes one of these who doesnt give out blank checks, Norman said.

Asked about some of Trumps more controversial measures, such ashis executive orderto restrict travel from certain Muslim-majority countries, Norman said, Hes right on that, absolutely.

Norman went on to defend the president, whom he said has been treated unfairly by the media, especially when it comes to the investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 elections.

Theyve convicted President Trump already, Norman said of the press.

If you hear the criticisms, a lot of them are, We dont like the tweets. Well, my argument is, I dont have to read tweets. Its a choice. And the media has not given him a fair shot, and so this is his way of communications, Norman said.

Trumps election last year galvanized Norman to run for Congress.

When Nov. 8 came and we didnt have Hillary Clinton as president, I got motivated, he said. (Practically speaking, the 5th District also would probably not have been open had Clinton won.)

Would he have run to be a check on Clinton? I would have had to look at it. It would have been a serious detriment, he said. Im excited with Trump.

Norman cited North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, as a congressional role model. But he said he also respects House Speaker Paul D. Ryan.

I like him. Hes in it for the right reasons, Norman said of the Wisconsin Republican.

Tuesdays election was the third vote in this district this year. After party primaries in May, the top-two GOP finishers advanced to a runoff two weeks later. Norman defeated state House Speaker Pro Tempore Tommy Pope by just 221 votes.

Norman will fill the seat portrayed in the hit Netflix seriesHouse of Cards. He just finished watching the first season.

Its interesting, the congressman-electsaid.

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Republican Ralph Norman Wins Close Race in South Carolina - Roll Call