South Carolina’s 2026 U.S. Senate race is shaping up to be a competitive contest, sparked by the unexpected death of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Serving since 2003, Graham unexpectedly died in office in 2026, during his fourth reelection campaign. Following his death, his sister, Darline Graham, was appointed to fill the remainder of Sen. Graham’s term through January 2027. Darline Graham is running for reelection for her first full term.
In the 2016 Presidential contest, President Donald Trump won the state by 14 points. In 2020, he again reclaimed the state by a closer margin of 3 points. Yet in 2024, President Trump won South Carolina this time by 13 points. The last Senate contest in the state was in 2022; Democratic challenger Krystle Matthews (D) lost to Republican incumbent Tim Scott (R) by nearly 30 points.
The South Carolina Democratic and Republican primaries for this Senate contest were held on June 9, 2026. Dr. Andrews secured the Democratic nomination. In the Republican field, Sen. Graham won the nomination. A month after the primary, Sen. Graham unexpectedly passed away. His sister, Darline Graham, was appointed to serve the remainder of his term. She was named the Republican nominee of this now-open seat.
In her submitted questionnaire, Dr. Andrews said that she is running for the Senate to “ protect our communities, lower health care costs, restore reproductive freedom, and build a safer, brighter future for all of our children.” On the campaign trail, she is hearing the most from voters about the rising costs of everyday items and affordable health care. Families in South Carolina are struggling to keep up with rising prices at the grocery store and the pump, and Andrews points out that this is a contradiction to the President’s promise to lower the cost of goods. If elected, Andrews plans to prioritize the cost-of-living emergency, moving our health care system from a profit-centered system to a patient-centered system, and fighting political corruption.
