Annie Andrews Defeats Darline Graham to Secure South Carolina Senate Seat

In a surprising upset, pediatrician Annie Andrews secured the South Carolina Senate seat previously held by longtime Republican Lindsey Graham, and before him by segregationist Strom Thurmond. The seat has not been held by a Democrat since 1964.

Multiple news outlets called the race for Andrews shortly after 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Andrews announced her candidacy in 2025, citing Trump’s selection of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as her “professional arch‑nemesis” for the Department of Health and Human Services as her motivation.

She had been campaigning against Lindsey Graham for over a year before his unexpected death in July. His sister, Darline Graham, was appointed to the seat and subsequently secured the Republican nomination.

Graham’s campaign highlighted her lack of experience, noting that she said, “I don’t speak politician,” and admitted on the debate stage that “national security is not my thing.”

Like many Democrats nationwide, Andrews focused intensely on cost‑of‑living and quality‑of‑life issues, including healthcare, data‑center costs, and diesel prices.

In an interview with Rolling Stone earlier this year, Andrews underscored her focus on healthcare, data‑center costs, and diesel prices. “I’m in this race because of my experience working within America’s broken healthcare system,” she said. “Seeing the effects of broken policies from Washington, from hospital room to hospital room, I recognized how they harmed patients and their families.”

Her victory on Tuesday — part of a wave of Democratic wins — echoes a warning from her late opponent, Lindsey Graham, during Donald Trump’s 2016 Republican nomination: “If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed,” he wrote. “And we will deserve it.”

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