US Midterm Elections 2026: Late Republican veteran Lindsey Graham’s sister Darline loses South Carolina Senate race

Annie Andrews secured a historic victory in South Carolina, ending decades of Republican control to become the first Democrat elected to the US Senate from the solidly conservative state in over a generation.

Defeating US Senator Darline Graham on Tuesday, who took over as interim senator following the death of her brother, Lindsey Graham, earlier this year, Andrews, a pediatrician, also made history as the first woman elected to represent South Carolina in the US Senate.

Prior to her matchup with Andrews, Graham emerged victorious from a fiercely competitive special primary against higher-profile Republicans, earning the endorsement and active campaign support of President Donald Trump, a longtime ally of her late brother.


However, Andrews capitalised on a widespread national backlash against the Republican Party and Trump in particular.

Before Lindsey Graham's passing, Republicans were confident about retaining the seat he had held while seeking a fifth term. But his sister's lack of political experience, combined with Andrews’ strong fundraising capabilities, compelled Republican groups to invest heavily in the state.

Andrews had been actively campaigning for over a year and had already secured her party's nomination when Graham died, forcing her to pivot from a strategy focused on unseating the incumbent to preparing for the broader Republican candidate pool. Following the Republican primary runoff, she directed her focus entirely to Darline Graham.

During their single debate last month, the two candidates clashed over the economy, conflict with Iran, and artificial intelligence, though much of the argument revolved around mutual claims of unfitness for office. Although Andrews previously lost a 2022 Congressional bid against Rep. Nancy Mace, she maintained a public profile despite having never held elected office or mounted a statewide campaign prior to this run.

The election's unusual dynamics raised Democratic hopes for a rare statewide win in South Carolina. An October New York Times/Siena poll indicated a tight contest, which, alongside scrutiny over Graham’s political inexperience, fuelled Democratic arguments that the race was genuinely competitive.

Even so, past polling had similarly signalled a tight race in 2020, when Lindsey Graham and Democrat Jaime Harrison set spending records in the state's costliest election. Ultimately, Lindsey Graham secured re-election in that race by a comfortable 10-point margin.

Voter Brent Chaplin noted that despite his history of voting conservative, he chose not to support Graham, voting instead for Andrews in hopes that her victory would serve as a "wake-up" call for the Republican Party.

“You just can’t go and say, ‘I’m a Republican. I’m just going to vote Republican,’” Chaplin said after voting in Fort Mill. “You’ve got to put some brain power into it and think about it. So hopefully, it is a message to the powers that be to wake up, pick better candidates.”

Prior to Andrews’ win, the last Democrat elected to the US Senate from South Carolina was Fritz Hollings, who won his final term in 1998. Republicans have occupied both of the state's Senate seats since his departure in 2005, with Jim Clyburn standing as the sole Democrat currently representing South Carolina in the US House.