South Carolina Democrat Annie Andrews Wins Primary, Will Challenge Sen. Lindsey Graham in November
Pediatrician Annie Andrews won the South Carolina Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday, setting up a general election matchup against five-term incumbent Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. Graham also won his Republican primary with 58 percent of the vote, defeating a six-way field that included a Trump-aligned challenger. The race is rated solidly Republican, though prediction markets have narrowed from a 90-10 GOP advantage in early 2026 to roughly 80-20, reflecting some erosion in Graham's standing.
Dr. Annie Andrews, a Charleston-based pediatrician, clinched the South Carolina Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday with 61 percent of the vote, earning the right to challenge Sen. Lindsey Graham in November. Graham, seeking a fifth term, won his own six-way Republican primary with 58 percent, fending off a field that included businessman Mark Lynch, who had positioned himself as a MAGA-aligned alternative and attracted support from figures critical of Graham's foreign policy record. Andrews previously ran for Congress in 2022, losing to Rep. Nancy Mace while capturing 42 percent of the vote. Her campaign centers on healthcare, public education, and economic security, and she has been vocal in criticizing HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccine policy during a recent measles outbreak in South Carolina. Andrews has raised just over $8 million since May 2025, slightly outpacing Graham's $7.7 million in the same period, though Graham spent more than $14 million in his primary alone. Cook Political Report rates the seat as 'Solid R,' and no Democrat has won a South Carolina Senate seat since Fritz Hollings in 1998, making Andrews a significant underdog despite narrowing prediction market odds.
What's missing
No independent public polling of the general election matchup has been released — all available polls were sponsored by Democratic-aligned organizations, which limits the ability to assess the true state of the race.
How coverage differed
Fox News framed Andrews primarily through her pledge to impeach RFK Jr., emphasizing that angle in its headline and leading coverage, while CBS News and Newsweek focused on her medical background and the structural challenges of running as a Democrat in South Carolina. Fox also highlighted the procedural error in Andrews' impeachment vow without dwelling on her broader platform.
What different sources said
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