South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden has won his Republican primary, NBC News projects, after he was forced into a runoff in his bid for a full term in office.

He defeated businessman and political newcomer Toby Doeden in a one-on-one matchup Tuesday after no candidate won 35% of the vote in the initial June primary.

Rhoden will face off in the November general election against Democrat Dan Ahlers, a former state senator, in the solidly red state. South Dakota has not had a Democratic governor since the 1970s, and the state’s two U.S. senators and lone House member are all Republicans.

Rhoden previously served as lieutenant governor and was elevated to the top job in the state after President Donald Trump selected then-Gov. Kristi Noem to serve as homeland security secretary. (She was fired earlier this year.) Now, Rhoden aims to secure his first full term as governor.

Doeden had won about 31% of the vote in the June primary, while Rhoden took about 25%. Rep. Dusty Johnson and state House speaker Jon Hansen also sought the GOP nomination for governor, but neither received enough support to advance to the runoff.

Rhoden and Doeden both positioned themselves as strong allies of Trump, who did not make an endorsement in the primary. Rhoden framed himself as a candidate with “the proven track record of uniting Republicans from all factions,” while Doeden argued that the state “needs bold conservative leadership, not career politicians.”

Rhoden campaigned on cutting property taxes and crime, while touting the state’s lowest unemployment rate in the country. Doeden ran on reducing property taxes, as well as deporting migrants, supporting rural communities and opposing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the state.

Doeden, poured his own money into his campaign, outspent Rhoden on the airwaves in the runoff. Rhoden also faced attack ads calling him a “career politician” from a super PAC tied to the conservative Club for Growth, although the group has not publicly endorsed in the race.