With Election Day looming, South Carolina Democratic Senate nominee Annie Andrews is sharpening her attacks on Republican Sen. Darline Graham, accusing her of dodging voters and relying on talking points crafted by national party operatives.
“My opponent Darline Graham has been hard to find on the campaign trail,” Andrews told NewsNation’s Leland Vittert late Monday. “When we do hear from her, all she’s doing is reading scripts that were written for her by the same Washington, D.C., insiders and party bosses that handpicked her to be in this seat.”
Graham, who was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Henry McMaster after the death of her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, narrowly won a contentious primary with former President Trump’s endorsement. But she now faces an unexpectedly tight contest against Andrews in a state Trump carried by nearly 20 points in 2024.
To pull off an upset as a Democrat in the Palmetto State, Andrews is courting Republicans disenchanted with their party. She highlighted endorsements from former GOP Gov. David Beasley, who joined with his onetime rival, former Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges, to back her campaign.
“We’ve been building a campaign that’s for everyone, and I think a great symbol of the unity that my campaign represents is my co-endorsement from [Beasley and Hodges],” Andrews said. “We’re bringing people from across the aisle together because I’m willing to put South Carolina first.”
Andrews also needs strong turnout from Democratic-leaning voters, particularly Black voters, who have shown up in significant numbers during early voting across the South. She said the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which weakened the Voting Rights Act, has energized this key constituency.
“This reflects what I’m hearing from folks when I go from Black church to Black church,” she told the “On Balance” host. “People are fired up, and they understand that Washington isn’t working for them anymore. … That’s the frustration that’s turning into motivation.”
Democrats have previously seen hope in South Carolina Senate races. In 2020, Jaime Harrison, then the Democratic National Committee chair, polled competitively against Lindsey Graham before losing by 10 points. This cycle, both parties are treating the race as competitive, with Republicans pouring millions into outside spending to boost Graham, while Andrews has relied more on direct campaign fundraising.
Decision Desk HQ, a partner of The Hill, gives Graham a 61 percent chance of winning a full term. For live updates, see the South Carolina Senate live results.
Andrews’s strategy of building a broad coalition and appealing to GOP moderates mirrors past Democratic efforts in the state, but she faces an uphill climb in a deeply Republican electorate. The race remains one of the most closely watched of the 2026 midterms, with implications for control of the Senate.
