Democrat Annie Andrews is pushing her party to invest in South Carolina's Senate seat, arguing that there is a legitimate path to victory. According to Andrews, she has raised $1.2 million in the six days following the Republican runoff election and says her campaign is tied with incumbent Sen. Darline Graham in polls. Democrats are divided over how much to invest in red territory like South Carolina, but some, including Sen. Chris Murphy, believe that the war's duration will be a major issue in November and could work in Andrews' favor. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has mentioned Kansas and Mississippi as priorities, but there is growing interest in South Carolina among Democrats.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
The News
Democratic leaders face tough decisions on where to spend limited party resources to win the Senate majority.
asserted
leaders → face → majority
Annie Andrews wants to make sure South Carolina is on their battleground map.
asserted
Carolina → want → map
Democrats felt burned in the Palmetto State after Jaime Harrison raised $132 million but lost by 10 points to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in 2020
asserted
Harrison → burn → 2020
But Andrews says this isn’t 2020, she’s not Harrison — and Sen. Darline Graham isn’t her brother.
asserted
Graham → say → ?
“There’s more people sniffing around and starting to see that there is a legitimate path to victory here because of the unique set of circumstances, the national environment, who I am as a candidate, how weak Darline is as a candidate,” Andrews told Semafor this week.
asserted
Andrews → ’ → Semafor
“Things are evolving rapidly.
asserted
Things → evolve → ?
I think there’s definitely more national interest.
asserted
I → think → ?
The Democratic candidate is releasing polls showing her race tied, imploring Democrats to acknowledge the uniquely strong position she occupies in a reliably red state.
asserted
she → release → state
Andrews says she raised $1.2 million in the six days after Graham narrowly defeated Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., in the runoff election for the GOP nomination last week.
asserted
Graham → say → nomination
She insists she can win on her own if she has to, but most Democrats believe she’ll need outside support to win a state like South Carolina.
asserted
she → insist → Carolina
That’s a tough ask of Democrats, who are pursuing a half-dozen GOP Senate seats, some of them in very expensive territory like Ohio and Texas.
asserted
who → ’ → Ohio
On top of that, they’re also defending several Democrat-controlled seats.
asserted
they → defend → seats
The party is divided over how deep to push into red territory after they flamed out in places like Kansas, Kentucky, and — yes — South Carolina in 2020.
asserted
they → divide → 2020
Not a lot of attention on South Carolina, but now people are like, ‘Oh, what’s happening down there?’
asserted
what → happen → Carolina
” Andrews said.
asserted
Andrews → say → ?
“It’s cheaper to win a race in South Carolina.
asserted
It → ’ → Carolina
It costs far less to make an impact in a race in South Carolina than it does in some of these other races that the national party is involved in.
asserted
party → cost → that
Democrats are taking notice of Andrews but the cavalry hasn’t come yet.
asserted
cavalry → take → Andrews
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told Semafor in August that Kansas and Mississippi are the next tier of Senate races Democrats are interested in.
asserted
Democrats → tell → races
But some think the party shouldn’t ignore the possibility of a huge wave year that crests in places like South Carolina.
asserted
that → think → Carolina
“People are outraged that this war has lasted as long as it has, and I have a growing sense that that issue is going to be more of a referendum than people think in November,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
asserted
Murphy → outrage → November
“I know everybody feels burned by South Carolina [in 2020], but that’s a really interesting race.”
asserted
that → know → 2020
Lauren French, a spokesperson for the Schumer-aligned Senate Majority PAC, said Andrews “is running a phenomenal campaign, and has made this Senate race increasingly competitive.”
asserted
race → align → campaign
She added that the group is “continuing to watch this race closely.”
asserted
group → add → race
“The GOP is scrambling to defend their struggling candidates in deep-red states,” said Maeve Coyle, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
asserted
Coyle → scramble → Committee
“South Carolina, where Annie Andrews is running an incredibly strong campaign, is no exception.”
asserted
Andrews → run → campaign
Republicans say money isn’t Andrews’s issue.
asserted
money → say → ?
National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Nick Puglia called her “a radical lunatic,” adding that “no amount of liberal dark money can cover up her extreme record.”
asserted
amount → call → record
Know More
Andrews wants the party to embrace term limits and renounce congressional stock trading and corporate contributions.
asserted
party → want → trading
She’s a doctor not connected as closely to Democratic politics as Harrison, and has made affordability a central focus of her campaign.
asserted
affordability → ’ → campaign
And Harrison said Andrews has a “real shot” to win where he fell short.
asserted
he → say → shot
“I ran against a three-term incumbent with a national fundraising network, a powerful political operation and decades of relationships across South Carolina.
asserted
I → run → Carolina
Darline doesn’t have any of that,” Harrison told Semafor.
asserted
Harrison → have → Semafor
One asset Graham does have: President Donald Trump’s support.
asserted
Graham → have → ?
He pulled her across the finish line in the runoff, and has already spent on her behalf through his MAGA Inc. super PAC.
asserted
He → pull → PAC
Still, Andrews says she is relieved that Graham is the nominee instead of Norman: “There was a clear difference in the most recent poll we did that Darline was going to be easier for me.”
asserted
Darline → say → me
Picking up on Graham’s debate flub regarding Taiwan, Andrews is trying to arrange a pair of general election debates with Graham.
asserted
Andrews → pick → Graham
She said Republicans might opt against an on-stage bout because “the risks of stepping on the debate stage with me outweigh the negative political backlash of not debating.”
uncertain
risks → say → backlash
The Graham campaign didn’t have any news on the debate front when reached for comment.
asserted
campaign → have → comment
Abby Zilch, a Graham spokesperson, called Andrews “dangerous” and “radical” in a statement criticizing her positions on abortion rights, guns, and transgender issues.
asserted
Zilch → call → rights
…and 11 more, not listed.
