Democrat Annie Andrews defeats Darline Graham, ends 28-year Republican dominance in South Carolina

Annie Andrew shattered decades of Republican dominance in South Carolina on Tuesday to become the first Democrat elected to the US Senate from the deeply conservative state in a generation. South Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Dr.

Annie Andrews during an event in Charleston, S.C., Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mic Smith) (AP Photo/Mic Smith)Andrews defeated US Sen. Darline Graham, who has been serving as interim senator since her brother, Lindsey Graham, died earlier this year.

With her victory, Andrews, a pediatrician, becomes the first woman elected to represent South Carolina in the US Senate. Track US midterm election results LIVE updates here. Appearing at her victory party in Charleston, Andrews paused for a few moments before she spoke, taking in the crowd wildly celebrating the first Democratic win in a US Senate race in South Carolina in 28 years.

“You have shown the nation what is possible,” Andrews said. “You have shown the nation that in this era of partisan divides, of vitriol and name-calling, in a politics dominated by billionaires and special interest groups and insiders in Washington, D.C., that we will not bow down.” In Columbia, Graham addressed a subdued crowd of Republicans.

Her voice raspy, she told the crowd they should remain as proud of her brother as she is. “This is a tough cycle, and all of us need to be involved as we chart a path forward," Graham said. "It is clear that we as conservatives have work to do, and that work starts tonight." Trump’s backing couldn’t carry Darline Graham to victory Before facing Andrews, Graham bested better-known Republicans to win a hotly contested special primary.

President Donald Trump, a close ally of her brother, endorsed and campaigned for her in the state. Graham again thanked Trump for his support after her loss. That presidential backing eroded Graham’s support from both sides.

It bothered some independent voters unhappy with Trump’s second term and some Republican supporters who disapproved of the president's involvement in a crowded primary they believed should have been left up to the state’s voters.

Both groups were uneasy about Graham’s inexperience and the prospect of turning the seat into a Graham family dynasty. Andrews benefited from the national wave of discontent with Republicans generally and Trump specifically.

Lindsey Graham was seeking his fifth term, and Republicans felt confident they’d keep the seat before he died. But his sister’s status as a political novice, plus Andrews’ fundraising prowess, prompted GOP groups to pour money into South Carolina.

In a Republican primary debate, Graham was asked whether the U.S. has a national security interest in Taiwan and the South China Sea — a longstanding contention of both Democratic and Republican administrations. She struggled to answer before admitting, “National security is not my thing.” She continued facing questions about her qualifications even after squeaking out a runoff win in the primary.

About two-thirds of South Carolina Senate voters said Darline Graham lacked the right experience. About 7 in 10 voters who doubted Graham's experience voted for Andrews, according to The AP Voter Poll. Andrews won a majority of women voters in South Carolina, while Graham won about half of men, the poll found.

While about 9 in 10 Republican voters in the state supported Lindsey Graham in 2020, according to AP VoteCast, that support from the party’s base fell this year, with about 8 in 10 Republican voters saying they voted for Darline Graham.

Andrews had already been campaigning for more than a year when Lindsey Graham died, forcing her to rejigger a general election plan that had been centered on ousting the incumbent. After the Republican primary runoff, she homed in on Darline Graham.