Andrews wins South Carolina Senate seat
The pediatrician defeated interim senator Darline Graham, ending decades of Republican control in the state.
By Fatou Mitchell ·
Annie Andrews defeated U.S. Sen. Darline Graham on Tuesday to claim the South Carolina Senate seat, ending a long stretch of Republican dominance in the state. Andrews, a pediatrician, becomes the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from South Carolina in a generation and the first woman to hold the seat.
Graham had served as the interim senator since the death of her brother, former U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, earlier this year. Before facing Andrews, Graham won a contested Republican primary, securing endorsements from President Donald Trump and national GOP groups. Trump campaigned for her, viewing the race as a defense of the party's hold on the state.
Andrews had campaigned for over a year before Lindsey Graham died. Her original plan focused on unseating the incumbent, but she adjusted her strategy to target the broader Republican field. She said she was prepared to debate any candidate who emerged from the GOP primary process. After the runoff, she concentrated her efforts on Graham.
The two candidates met for their only debate last month. They debated the economy, the war with Iran, and artificial intelligence. Much of the discussion focused on each candidate's claim that the other lacked the qualifications for the office. Andrews had run for Congress in 2022 against Rep. Nancy Mace and had never held elected office or run a statewide campaign before this contest.
Polling data from the New York Times and Siena College in October showed a close race. Democrats cited criticism of Graham's inexperience as a factor in the contest's competitiveness. However, similar polls in 2020 also suggested a tight race, yet Lindsey Graham won reelection by a 10 percentage point margin in what was the state's most expensive election.
Voter Brent Chaplin in Fort Mill said he had always supported GOP candidates but could not vote for Graham. He supported Andrews and hoped her victory would serve as a wake-up call for Republicans. Chaplin stated that voters must think carefully about candidates rather than voting strictly by party label. He urged the party to select better candidates in the future.
Before Andrews, the last Democrat to win a Senate seat in South Carolina was Fritz Hollings, who won his final term in 1998. Republicans have held both state Senate seats since 2005. Only one Democrat, Rep. Jim Clyburn, currently represents South Carolina in the U.S. House.
