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.
The Aporia
