Democrat Annie Andrews has defeated Republican Senator Darline Graham in South Carolina’s Senate election, according to an NBC News projection, delivering an unexpected victory for the Democrats in a state that has consistently backed Republicans.
Andrews, a paediatrician, is set to become South Carolina’s first Democratic senator in more than two decades. The result is particularly notable given that President Donald Trump won the state by more than 17 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
Darline Graham entered the race after Governor Henry McMaster appointed her in July to fill the vacancy created by the sudden death of her brother, five-term Senator Lindsey Graham, who died from a heart condition.
A former state government administrator, Graham subsequently sought a full term, beginning with a special primary election. However, her campaign faced criticism over her grasp of certain national policy issues. During a debate with a Republican opponent, she acknowledged that she was “not that informed on national security,” although she eventually secured the party’s nomination.
The contest was initially considered a difficult one for Democrats. However, concerns about Graham’s candidacy led the Cook Political Report to revise its assessment in September, moving the race from “solidly” Republican to “likely” Republican.
Andrews also built a significant financial advantage over her opponent. Her campaign raised more than $4m, largely through online contributions, during the final pre-election fundraising period and spent over $4.6m within two weeks. Graham’s campaign, which began midway through the election cycle, raised approximately $90,000 and spent $65,000 during the same period.
Outside groups also increased their involvement as election day approached. The Republican-aligned Senate Leadership Fund committed $13m to support Graham, while the Senate Majority PAC, which backs Democratic candidates, announced a $750,000 digital advertising campaign in the final stretch.
The candidates exchanged sharp criticisms during a debate last month. Graham accused Andrews of failing to “stand up to socialist Democrats,” while Andrews portrayed the Republican as a supporter who routinely backed Trump’s policies without question.
Andrews declared her support for the Second Amendment, but Graham questioned the position, citing the Democrat’s role as a senior adviser to Everytown, a major gun control advocacy organisation.
Andrews also faced criticism over her previous statements expressing strong support for transgender people, with Graham accusing her of changing her position. The Republican claimed Andrews had been “deceiving the people of South Carolina” and had “flip-flopped on everything.”
Graham, however, also distanced herself from Trump over his decision to waive sanctions against Russia, despite a new law named after her late brother.
At a campaign event last month, she said: “Personally, I would choose to put the pressure on Russia to end the war and get gas prices down,” before adding, “Because I don’t trust Putin, and I don’t trust Russia.”
Her comments came ahead of a scheduled campaign appearance by Trump in support of her candidacy.
