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Multiple outlets including the Associated Press, Fox News and NBC projected that pediatrician Annie Andrews had defeated appointed Sen. Darline Graham with 51 percent of the vote to Graham’s 47 percent as nearly all ballots were counted. The victory marks South Carolina’s first Democratic Senate win since Fritz Hollings secured reelection in 1998, according to state political records reviewed by The Guardian. Andrews, a political newcomer who campaigned on health care affordability and cost of living issues, will also become the first woman ever elected to the Senate from the Palmetto State. Election officials expect to certify the results in the coming days after the final tally reaches roughly 2 million votes cast.
Graham had been appointed to the seat in July following the sudden death of her brother, longtime Sen. Lindsey Graham, a development first reported by the Associated Press. President Donald Trump, who carried South Carolina by 18 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, endorsed Graham and made multiple campaign stops on her behalf in the state’s final weeks. A political newcomer who had acknowledged limited experience on national security matters during an August debate, Graham received support from Republican Gov. Henry McMaster to complete the remainder of her brother’s term. Andrews had initially been running against Lindsey Graham before the senator’s death reshaped the contest.
A New York Times/Siena poll released in the race’s final week showed the candidates essentially tied at 48 percent apiece, signaling the potential for an upset in the reliably Republican state. Andrews, who emphasized her two decades working in the health care system, told Fox News in a pre-election interview that she never expected to run for federal office but brought firsthand experience from hospital exam rooms to the campaign trail. Graham stumbled in the primary when asked about U.S. policy toward Taiwan, responding that national security was not her area of expertise even as she voiced support for the military. The contest drew millions in outside spending from both parties as Democrats sought to capitalize on any signs of GOP weakness.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer issued a statement congratulating Andrews on her historic victory and pledging to work with her to lower costs and address corruption. Andrews told supporters at her election night gathering in Charleston that she believed the campaign had made history, according to footage broadcast by local stations including WCIV. The outcome represents one of the largest surprises of the 2026 midterms, with analysts at Mother Jones describing it as a monumental upset that could have national implications for Democratic morale. Voter turnout data compiled by the South Carolina State Election Commission showed strong participation in urban areas like Charleston and Columbia that helped fuel Andrews’ margin of victory.
Republicans had held both of South Carolina’s Senate seats continuously since Hollings left office in 2005, a streak broken by Andrews’ win as confirmed across reporting from USA Today and the Post and Courier. The pediatrician and gun control advocate positioned herself as a moderate willing to break with her party when necessary for the state’s interests. Graham conceded the race late on election night and called Andrews to offer congratulations, according to accounts provided to the Rock Hill Herald. The result arrives as Democrats showed unexpected strength in several traditionally Republican strongholds during Tuesday’s voting.
