Annie Andrews flips South Carolina Senate seat held by Republicans since 1998

Democratic pediatrician Dr. Annie Andrews flipped a South Carolina U.S. Senate seat on November 3, 2026, defeating appointed Republican incumbent Darline Graham. The victory marks the first Democratic Senate win in South Carolina since 1998 and elects the state's first female U.S. senator. Andrews focused her campaign on healthcare costs while criticizing the war with Iran. Graham, appointed following the death of her brother Lindsey Graham, suffered from primary fallout with Representative Ralph Norman, heavy criticism over foreign policy inexperience, and close ties to President Donald Trump.

Election outcome and vote count

• ▪With approximately 88 to 90 percent of votes counted, Annie Andrews led Darline Graham by 4.1 percentage points, 51 percent to 47 percent
• ▪Democrat Annie Andrews defeated Republican Darline Graham to win the U.S. Senate race

Graham's background and Senate appointment

• ▪Darline Graham's previous professional experience prior to her appointment to fill Lindsey Graham's Senate seat was serving as head of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind
• ▪Darline Graham, the 62-year-old sister of late Senator Lindsey Graham, was appointed to serve out Lindsey Graham's term after his sudden death at age 71 in July 2026

Graham's foreign policy missteps

• ▪Darline Graham did not forcefully push back against President Donald Trump's decision to waive sanctions on Russia enacted under the Graham Act, legislation named after her brother Lindsey Graham
• ▪During an August 2026 debate, Darline Graham admitted she was not informed on national security when asked about United States interests in Taiwan

Donald Trump's role in the campaign

• ▪Donald Trump publicly denigrated Democratic candidate Annie Andrews during the South Carolina Senate campaign, including referring to her using a transphobic slur
• ▪President Donald Trump persuaded Darline Graham to run for a full term and traveled to South Carolina twice in the two weeks before Election Day to rally for her

Republican division and backlash against Graham

• ▪Republican U.S. Representative Ralph Norman refused to campaign with Darline Graham after losing to her in the August primary runoff with Donald Trump's backing
• ▪Representative Ralph Norman stated via text message before the South Carolina Senate race was called that he was not surprised at all by Darline Graham's struggles
• ▪Aiken Republican Club co-founder Scott Singer hosted a campaign event for Annie Andrews to give Republican voters permission to consider supporting her
• ▪South Carolina conservative Republicans expressed frustration that Darline Graham was treated as an anointed heir apparent to her brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat
• ▪Supporters of Representative Ralph Norman mounted a write-in campaign for him during the South Carolina Senate general election

Historical significance of Andrews' victory

• ▪Annie Andrews is the first Democrat to win a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina since Fritz Hollings' last election victory in 1998
• ▪The election of Annie Andrews marks the first time South Carolina has elected a woman to the U.S. Senate

Andrews' position on transgender issues

• ▪In a final-month campaign advertisement, Annie Andrews referred to trans women as biological men and stated she does not support gender surgery for minors
• ▪In 2022, Annie Andrews called South Carolina's Save Women's Sports Act actively harmful and pledged on X to always support trans youth

South Carolina Democratic election history

• ▪During the 2020 election, Democratic campaigns spent over $100 million in an unsuccessful effort to unseat South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham
• ▪No Democratic presidential candidate has won the state of South Carolina since Jimmy Carter