Democrat stuns with win over dynasty in South Carolina

Annie Andrews has won a stunning victory in South Carolina, shattering decades of Republican dominance to become the first Democrat elected to the US Senate from the deeply conservative state in a generation.

On Tuesday, Andrews defeated US senator Darline Graham, who has been serving as interim senator since her brother, Lindsey Graham, died earlier in 2026.

The victory also made Andrews, a pediatrician, the first woman elected to represent South Carolina in the US Senate.

“You have shown the nation what is possible,” she told supporters.

“You have shown the nation that in this era of partisan divides, of vitriol and name-calling, in a politics dominated by billionaires and special interest groups and insiders in Washington, DC, that we will not bow down.”

Graham told the crowd they should remain as proud of her brother as she is.

“This is a tough cycle, and all of us need to be involved as we chart a path forward. It is clear that we as conservatives have work to do, and that work starts tonight,” Graham said.

Before facing Andrews, Graham bested better-known Republicans to win a hotly contested special primary.

President Donald Trump, a close ally of her brother, endorsed and campaigned for her in the state.

But Andrews benefited from a national wave of discontent with Republicans generally and Trump specifically.

Lindsey Graham was seeking his fifth term, and Republicans felt confident they would keep the seat before he died.

But his sister’s status as a political novice, plus Andrews’ fundraising prowess, prompted Republican groups to pour money into South Carolina.

Andrews had already been campaigning for more than a year and had won her primary outright when Graham died, forcing her to rejig a general election plan centred on ousting the incumbent.

After the Republican primary run-off, she homed in on Darline Graham.

When they met for their sole debate in October, Darline Graham and Andrews traded barbs over the economy, war with Iran and artificial intelligence.

But much of the debate centred on each candidate’s argument that her opponent was unqualified for the seat.

A New York Times/Siena poll conducted in October appeared to show a close race and, coupled with criticism of Graham’s inexperience, gave Democrats reason to argue the contest had become more competitive.

But polls also showed an apparently close race in 2020, when Lindsey Graham, Democrat Jaime Harrison and outside groups supporting their campaigns spent hundreds of millions of dollars in South Carolina’s most expensive election.

In that re-election, Lindsey Graham’s last, the Republican sailed back into office by a 10-percentage-point margin.