[REVISION HISTORY]

SC Senate race 2026 – Graham and Andrews clash on policy

Updated 42 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-06 17:49 UTC → 2026-10-08 15:52 UTC · added ~~removed~~

SC Senate race 2026 – Graham ~~agrees to debate~~ and Andrews clash on policy

Following her victory in the Republican runoff on August 24, Darline Graham addressed supporters in a victory speech. During the address, she targeted Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, specifically criticizing Andrews’ platform of universal healthcare. Graham used a personal anecdote regarding the deaths of her parents—her mother from Hodgkin's lymphoma and her father from a heart attack—to argue against government-run healthcare. She noted that her parents worked through their respective illnesses without taking vacations. However, critics observed that her account of her parents’ inability to access medical support or take sick leave inadvertently reinforced arguments made by proponents of universal healthcare. Graham’s primary victory, which follows the seat previously held by her late brother, Lindsey Graham, was bolstered by an endorsement from Donald Trump. On ~~September 11, Graham agreed to a debate with Dr. Annie Andrews, scheduled for~~ October 11 and hosted by SCETV in Columbia. Graham stated she intends to use the debate to ‘expose Andrews’ positions,’ while Andrews argued that voters deserve to see the candidates side-by-side. A September 27 Trafalgar Group poll indicated the race is a virtual tie, with Graham holding a 1.1 percentage point lead (43.4% to 42.3%), a margin within the poll’s 2.9 percentage point margin of error. On October 6, the Senate Leadership Fund, a major Republican super PAC, announced a $5 million allocation to support Darline Graham. The expenditure is being treated as an ‘insurance policy’ due to the highly competitive nature of the ~~contest.~~ contest, where polling has shown the candidates in a virtual tie or with Graham holding narrow leads. While Graham has received significant institutional support, financial filings show Andrews has raised over $10.8 million, significantly outpacing Graham’s approximately $347,000. Following social media attacks from Donald Trump involving anti-transgender rhetoric, Annie Andrews released a 30-second television advertisement to address criticisms regarding her stance on transgender issues. In the ad, Andrews, a pediatrician, stated, ‘I don’t support biological men playing women’s sports and I don’t support — and haven’t ever performed — gender surgery for minors.’ Graham’s campaign has dismissed the advertisement, claiming Andrews is ‘openly lying about her record’ and citing her 2022 opposition to a state law banning transgender athletes from women’s sports teams.

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