Graham and Andrews trade attacks in South Carolina Senate debate
Republican Sen. Darline Graham and Democrat Annie Andrews met Sunday in Columbia for their first general election debate. They clashed over President Donald Trump's domestic policy package, gas and goods prices, the Iran war, and AI data centers. The race has tightened in a heavily Republican state, and Democrats see a chance to defeat Graham, who was appointed after her brother Lindsey Graham died in July.
The Columbia debate, carried by South Carolina ETV, was the candidates' first general-election meeting and possibly their last. It occurred three months after Lindsey Graham's death at 71; Darline Graham, a former state agency head, was appointed to the seat. Andrews is a pediatrician. Libertarian Kasie Whitener also participated.
The contest has narrowed in a state where Trump remains strong among Republicans. A leading GOP Senate super PAC has promised $5 million for Graham. Either winner would become South Carolina's first woman elected to the Senate. Andrews said she backs gun rights, border security, and deportation of lawbreaking undocumented immigrants; Graham labeled her a radical liberal.
The outcome may affect South Carolina voters' representation on issues such as prices, technology, and foreign policy. A close race could draw more national money and attention, possibly shaping turnout and down-ballot contests. Because the winner would be the state's first woman elected to the Senate, the result could carry symbolic weight for political representation. National parties may read the margin as a signal about Trump's influence in a Republican-leaning state.