Trump Uses Transgender Slur Against Senate Candidate Annie Andrews
Former President Donald Trump attacked Annie Andrews, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina, using a transgender slur as a nickname and accusing her of supporting progressive policies.
Former President Donald Trump used a transgender slur to attack Annie Andrews, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina, urging voters to support Darline Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
Trump referred to Andrews as 'Annie "Trannie" Andrews' in a post on his Truth Social platform, employing a slur often used against transgender people. Andrews is not transgender.
He contrasted Andrews with Darline Graham, whom Trump described as a "High Quality person, maybe the Highest." Trump stated that Andrews does not represent the values of South Carolina and alleged she supports positions such as 'Transgender for Everyone, Open Borders, Defunding the Police, High Taxes, a Weak Military, and will absolutely fight to take your guns away.' He concluded by urging a vote for Darline Graham.
Andrews, a physician and mother of three, responded by emphasizing her focus on constituents' needs. "As a mom and a pediatrician, I'm in this race to fight for my patients, my three kids, and South Carolina," she told The Daily Mail. "And I'm going to work with anyone to put South Carolina first, because lowering costs and making life better for families across our state is going to take all of us working together. If you care more about your bills than the politics in Washington, this campaign is for you."
Darline Graham was appointed to the Senate seat following Lindsey Graham's death in July. She subsequently won a special Republican primary runoff against Congressman Ralph Norman. Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham to serve the remainder of her brother's term, and she has received an endorsement from Trump, who has encouraged her to seek a full term and campaigned for her in South Carolina.
South Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1956. However, recent reports indicate that Andrews is among several Democratic candidates in traditionally Republican states who are polling competitively.
Sources indicate that some Republican insiders are concerned about rising energy costs potentially impacting the party's majorities in the House and Senate during the upcoming midterm elections. Despite this, Republicans maintain a significant financial advantage in campaign spending.
Trump, in a TIME magazine interview, dismissed his sagging approval ratings as "fake" and expressed confidence in his ability to defeat any opponent by a wide margin, labeling pollsters as "almost as corrupt as the writers." When asked about potential trouble for Republicans in red-state swings, Trump deflected, praised the economy, and attributed the party's challenges to poor public relations.