“A Monumental Upset”: Annie Andrews Flips South Carolina Senate Seat

Democratic US Senate candidate Annie Andrews won the seat formerly held by the late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham in an upset Tuesday night.Win McNamee/Getty Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily. In a closely watched race, South Carolina voters delivered the biggest upset of Election Night so far and elected a Democrat to the Senate for the first time since 1998. Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician and mother of three, flipped this seat blue and defeated political neophyte Darline Graham, the sister of late Sen. Lindsey Graham who was appointed to complete his term after his sudden death in July. With 88 percent of votes in, Andrews was leading Graham by 4.1 percentage points. Even among a pack of weak GOP candidates who spelled trouble for the party, Lindsey Graham’s sister distinguished herself. In the lead-up to Tuesday, the polls had indicated an unexpectedly competitive race in a deep-red state that has been a reliable GOP stronghold. Republicans were so concerned about Graham—a reluctant candidate pushed by Trump who many voters didn’t think was prepared to serve a full term—that Trump traveled to South Carolina to rally for her twice in the two weeks before Election Day. The top GOP Senate PAC also injected millions of dollars into the race to boost Graham’s chances in what should have been an easy contest for the Republican party. The race was seen as a test of the endorsement powers of a president whose approval rating is at a new low. Even among a pack of weak GOP candidates who spelled trouble for the party, Lindsey Graham’s sister distinguished herself. Her previous professional experience was as head of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and her naiveté about foreign policy—a notable contrast with her brother—came into stark relief during a primary debate. When asked about US interests in Taiwan, she dodged the question, admitting, “I’m not that informed on national security.” Earlier this week, I wrote about how Republican voters in the Palmetto State were crossing party lines to support Andrews, who came up short in her Congressional bid against Rep. Nancy Mace in 2022: “We were led to believe that she was just a placeholder for that seat and South Carolinians would have the opportunity to vote for whomever they thought would be the best,” said George Culpepper Jr., who identifies as a conservative Republican and picked US Rep. Ralph Norman in the primary. “We were kind of caught off guard because a seat shouldn’t just be given to someone.” “When a candidate is shoved down our throats, I’m sorry, but our minds are independent here in South Carolina,” he added. “We won’t bow down to being told how and who to vote for.” “Basically she was anointed the heir apparent,” said Scott Singer, 66, who helped found the Aiken Republican Club but described himself as “politically homeless.” Singer recently hosted an event with Andrews that he said was an opportunity to give GOP voters a “permission structure” to consider an alternative candidate. “The enthusiasm is much much higher on her side,” Singer said of Andrews. “People are holding their nose and reluctantly voting for Darline Graham.” “I don’t think they’re seeing any sign whatsoever that Darline Graham would stand up to Donald Trump.” In addition to questioning the interim senator’s qualifications, South Carolinians appeared skeptical that, if elected, she would demonstrate any independence from the president’s increasingly unpopular agenda. Several people mentioned the fact that Graham didn’t forcefully push back against Trump’s decision to waive sanctions on Russia that had been enacted under the Graham Act, legislation named after her brother and championed by her. “She lacked the courage to even bring that subject up to the president even though that was her brother’s crowning legacy,” Singer said. “She’s there to represent a constituency of one rather than the people of South Carolina.” “They would want a candidate who’s willing to stand up to the president and encourage him to pull out of of the war with Iran or address the affordability issues more head on,” Danielle Vinson, a professor of politics and international affairs at Furman University, said before the election. “And I don’t think they’re seeing any sign whatsoever that Darline Graham would stand up to Donald Trump.” Vinson characterized an Andrews’ victory as “a monumental upset” that would have Democrats “bouncing from the ceilings.” Voters like Singer were willing to bet on Andrews to be an independent voice in the Senate and keep the executive branch in check. During the campaign, she focused on affordability and access to healthcare, while attempting to deflect culture war issues in order to appeal to independents and Republicans frustrated with high prices and the war in Iran. In the end, voters turned down a “Graham family dynasty,” sending Trump a message. “South Carolinians are fiercely independent,” Singer said, “and don’t like having Washington pick its candidates.”