South Carolina state Rep. Katie Arrington suffered multiple serious injuries in a car accident that killed one other late Friday night.
Arrington, who defeated Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., in the state’s Republican primary for the 1st Congressional District two weeks ago, fractured vertebrae and multiple ribs, collapsed an artery in her leg, and suffered various internal injuries, not specified by her spokesman.
According to the Post and Courier, Arrington will undergo major surgery to remove part of her small intestine and place a stint in her leg.
She reportedly briefly spoke to reporters Saturday from the hospital, where she is expected to stay for roughly two weeks.
Arrington’s vehicle, in which she was a passenger, was struck by another vehicle traveling in the wrong direction down U.S. Highway 17 toward Hilton Head late Friday night. The driver of the other car was killed, and the status of Arrington’s driver is not known.
Arrington defeated Sanford upon a late endorsement from President Trump, just hours before polls closed in the primary two weeks ago.
[Trump: I tweeted on South Carolina race because Mark Sanford is ‘so bad’]
“Mark Sanford has been very unhelpful to me in my campaign to MAGA. He is MIA and nothing but trouble. He is better off in Argentina,” Trump tweeted in reference to Sanford’s torrid affair during his tenure as S.C. governor. “I fully endorse Katie Arrington for Congress in SC, a state I love. She is tough on crime and will continue our fight to lower taxes. VOTE Katie!”
She thanked Trump for the win.
“I was stunned and grateful,” Arrington told NBC News. “That tweet kept it from a runoff, without a doubt. We needed the 50 percent plus one, and I’m sure that that tweet put us in that realm.”
The president was slated to travel to the state capitol in Columbia on Monday.
Several lawmakers, including Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott and President Trump, have voiced their support for Arrington in the wake of the crash.
Keeping Katie Arrington and everyone involved in last night’s accident in my thoughts and prayers. Hoping for a speedy recovery.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 23, 2018
My prayers are with Katie Arrington and her family this morning, as well as the families of the others involved in last night’s crash.
— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) June 23, 2018
My thoughts and prayers are with Representative Katie Arrington of South Carolina, including all of those involved in last nights car accident, and their families. https://t.co/rWYt2VBjxc
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2018
Additionally, Arrington’s Democratic opponent, Joe Cunningham, announced Saturday that he has suspended his campaign while Arrington recovers.
