In a striking display of bipartisanship, two former South Carolina governors—Republican David Beasley and Democrat Jim Hodges—have thrown their support behind Democrat Annie Andrews in her bid to unseat Senator Darline Graham (R-S.C.). The endorsement was announced Monday via a campaign video, signaling a notable fracture in the state's typically solid Republican alignment.
Hodges, who defeated Beasley in the 1998 gubernatorial race and remains the last Democrat to hold the governor's mansion in Columbia, said the two have often disagreed over the years. But he stressed that they now share a common concern: the deepening partisan divide. “One thing we do agree on right now is this country is too divided, and the political rhetoric has gotten way, way out of hand,” Beasley added in the video.
The former governors framed their endorsement as a call for a different kind of leadership. “Annie understands that leadership isn't about making people angrier. It's about making things better,” Beasley said. Hodges echoed that sentiment, noting that despite their party differences, “we agree South Carolina deserves better than more of the same political fight.”
Beasley has been increasingly critical of the Republican Party's direction under President Trump. In an op-ed published last week, he wrote that the party is “not the party that I knew, and it is not the party that I consider myself a member of.” His break with the current GOP leadership adds weight to the endorsement, especially in a state where Trump remains popular.
Andrews faces an uphill battle against Graham, who was appointed to the Senate seat after the death of her brother, longtime Senator Lindsey Graham. Darline Graham has leaned heavily on Trump's endorsement, but the president's approval has dipped amid concerns over the war in Iran and rising living costs. During a recent debate, Graham was pressed on Trump's decision to pause sanctions on Russia as part of a deal that reportedly releases 300,000 tons of diesel to global markets. She defended the move, saying it gives the president “tools that he can use if he so chooses to end the war through economic sanctions.”
Graham also sought to paint Andrews as a socialist, a charge Andrews dismissed as a scripted attack. “My opponent is going to stand up here tonight and call me a socialist because that's what her script says,” Andrews said, “and also because she doesn't want to talk to you about your high gas prices, grocery prices or your closing rural hospital.”
The race has tightened in recent weeks. Cook Political Report shifted its rating away from the GOP's favor, citing a surge in fundraising for Andrews. Decision Desk HQ, The Hill's election forecaster, still gives Graham a 67 percent chance of winning, but Andrews's chances have improved to 33 percent. The endorsement from two former governors could provide a boost, though it remains to be seen if it will sway voters in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate in decades.
For more on the political landscape, see how Trump is making a final push in South Carolina, and check out the latest polling in the North Carolina Senate race.
