Republican South Carolina Senate candidate Darline Graham is projected to have lost her race, handing Democrats their first victory in the state for 28 years. Democrat Annie Andrews, a former paediatrician, was on course to pull off a stunning upset in Tuesday’s midterm elections, according to the BBC’s US partner CBS.
The Senate Race and Background
Graham was appointed to fill the seat in July following the sudden death of her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, a move that received backing from President Donald Trump. Donald Trump had won the state by 18 points in 2024.
A political newcomer, Graham conceded during the primary that she was not well-informed on national security. During her primary campaign, she acknowledged her lack of political experience, notably after stumbling on a foreign policy question during a recent debate when asked about the US stance towards Taiwan.
Graham stated during the debate that national security was not her area of expertise, though she did support the military. Her late brother, Lindsey Graham, had been elected to the Senate in 2002 and served as one of Washington’s most influential foreign policy voices, frequently advocating for US military intervention overseas.
