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Darline Graham loses South Carolina Senate seat held by her late brother
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Democrat Annie Andrews won an upset victory in South Carolina’s Senate race, defeating Republican Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed earlier this year to fill the seat of her late brother, Lindsey Graham.
- Andrews will be South Carolina’s first Democratic senator in over 20 years, despite the state’s strong Republican leanings, including a 17-point win for Trump in 2020.
- Darline Graham faced criticism for her lack of policy knowledge and started her campaign late, while Andrews outraised and outspent her significantly, raising over $4 million in the final fundraising period.
- The race saw heavy outside spending, with a GOP super PAC investing $13 million to support Graham, while Democrats spent $750,000 in last-minute digital ads backing Andrews.
- The campaign featured sharp exchanges over issues like gun control, transgender rights, and Russia sanctions, with Graham notably breaking from Trump by opposing his waiver of sanctions on Russia.
