Democrat Annie Andrews has won the South Carolina Senate seat, defeating Republican Darline Graham in a race that dealt a blow to former President Donald Trump, who had actively supported Graham. NBC News and CNN projected Andrews as the winner at 10 p.m. Eastern time.
With 86 percent of the vote counted, Andrews held 51 percent to Graham's 47 percent. This victory makes Andrews the first Democrat to win a South Carolina Senate seat in 28 years and the first woman to represent the state in the chamber. The outcome is particularly significant as Trump carried South Carolina by 18 points just two years prior.
Despite Trump's endorsement and multiple campaign appearances on her behalf, Graham's campaign faced challenges. She had never held public office and admitted to lacking expertise in foreign policy, even stating at one point that she was unsure if she wanted to be a Senator. During a Republican primary debate, Graham acknowledged, "National security is not my thing," when asked about Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Andrews, who also had not held elected office previously, used Graham's statements to question her qualifications. "If your surgeon said that appendectomies aren't really his thing, would you still hand him a scalpel? No," Andrews stated at an October debate. "So why would we hand Darline Graham a full term in the US Senate? She is unserious and unqualified."
Andrews, who unsuccessfully challenged Representative Nancy Mace in 2022, centered her campaign on affordability and economic issues. She sought to counter perceptions of being too liberal for South Carolina by criticizing both parties' approaches to immigration and highlighting her support for gun rights, border security, and tax reductions for the middle class.
The contest drew significant Republican funding, with the party investing $5 million to support Graham as the race became unexpectedly close. Andrews' win was attributed to strong showings in rural counties that were typically Republican strongholds.
The candidates also engaged in a dispute over Graham's campaign name. Andrews suggested Graham had recently changed her surname from Nordone, but Graham maintained that "My legal name is Graham and has always been Graham," attributing it to a desire to remain connected to her deceased parents.