A new poll shows Democrat Annie Andrews and Republican incumbent Darline Graham tied in South Carolina's US Senate race, a dead heat in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998. The New York Times/Siena poll has both candidates at 48% each.
Race Context and Candidates
Donald Trump won South Carolina by nearly 18 points in 2024, yet the race remains competitive. Graham was appointed to the seat after her brother, Lindsey Graham, died in July, and entered the race at Trump's urging without having ever held elected office.
Her inexperience has become a defining issue, highlighted in an August debate when she admitted she was "not that informed on national security" regarding US policy on Taiwan. In the poll, 51% of voters said she lacked the right experience to be an effective senator.
Andrews' Campaign Strategy
Andrews, a pediatrician from Charleston, has built her campaign around her medical career, advocating for a public option and cheaper prescription drugs. She has kept distance from the Democratic Party's left flank, not supporting Medicare for All and conceding Democrats failed on the border. Independents back her over Graham by 57% to 37%.
Graham leans heavily on Trump's support, opposing abortion rights and trusting Trump on tariffs and the war with Iran. She has argued that anyone in the country illegally should be deported "immediately". Trump visited the state last week for a 90-minute rally, calling Andrews extreme, and returns again on Thursday.
Republican Spending and Divisions
Republicans are spending heavily in South Carolina despite their dominance. One Republican congressman, Ralph Norman, who lost the runoff against Graham, has said he will not campaign for her. A South Carolina Policy Council survey this month gave Graham a one-point lead, within its margin of error, and showed Andrews outrunning her party, with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jermaine Johnson trailing Republican Alan Wilson by 10 points.
