South Carolina Senate Race Tightens as Darline Graham Faces Scrutiny
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Incumbent Sen. Darline Graham, appointed after her brother's death, is trailing Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in recent polls, prompting concerns within the GOP about her campaign strategy and fundraising.
Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed to complete her late brother Lindsey Graham's Senate term, is facing a competitive general-election race in South Carolina. After a contentious hearing with former special counsel Jack Smith, where she accused him of bullying her brother’s allies, Graham’s campaign has struggled to gain traction against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, a pediatrician who has narrowed the gap in a state Trump carried by 18 points in 2022.
GOP insiders note that Graham’s campaign lacks the fundraising, energy and statewide enthusiasm that characterized her brother’s races. Dorchester County Republican Party chairman C.J. Westfall said the campaign “doesn’t have the fundraising, doesn’t have the energy, and doesn’t have the enthusiasm behind it.” A top staffer for another statewide Republican candidate warned that Graham might win by only two to three points if the election were held today.
The Graham campaign disputes those assessments, citing recent ad spending and a $5 million infusion from the Senate Leadership Fund. Campaign spokesperson T.W. Arrighi said the candidate is “winning and will win in November,” while Graham told a local TV station she remains “cautiously optimistic” and is working to reach every voter.
Analysts also point to strategic missteps, such as a focus on anti-transgender messaging that some GOP operatives say is “the wrong play.” A veteran strategist told CNN that Graham “wrapped herself in the Trump flag” and is concentrating on issues that may not resonate with broader voters.
Democratic supporters have responded with a new super PAC, Fresh Start SC, which has invested $2.5 million in ads criticizing Graham’s ties to the health-insurance industry and highlighting voter concerns over high costs. Andrews, who has not been “handpicked” by party leaders, positions herself as an independent voice for South Carolina.
The candidates are scheduled for their first debate on Sunday, a pivotal moment after Graham’s earlier primary debate remark that “national security is not my thing.” The outcome could shape the final stretch of the race as both sides intensify outreach ahead of the November election.