Daily Brief

Following Why Sign Up

MIDTERMS 2026 - SENATE

South Carolina

LEAN R R-held

Election day is Tuesday, November 3 - 7 days away.

DEMOCRAT

Annie Andrews

Pediatrician who has practiced in South Carolina for more than 15 years; has never held public office. source

REPUBLICAN - INCUMBENT

Darline Graham

Appointed to the Senate in July 2026 after her brother Lindsey Graham's death; commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind since 2019. source

Where they differ

Only issues they disagree on. Each position is something the candidate said, voted for or published, linked to where.

Medicaid and the 2025 tax law

ANDREWS

Would reverse the 2025 law's Medicaid changes; says Graham backed its Medicaid cuts. source

GRAHAM

Supports Medicaid work requirements for able-bodied adults: "count me in. I'm all for it." source

Health insurance

ANDREWS

Backs a government-run public option people can buy into; rejects Medicare for All. source

GRAHAM

Opposes what she calls government-funded health care for all; favors price transparency to drive competition. source

Abortion

ANDREWS

Supports a framework like Roe v. Wade; says decisions belong "between a woman and her doctor." source

GRAHAM

Opposes abortion rights: "Every unborn baby deserves the chance to live"; has co-sponsored anti-abortion bills. source

War with Iran

ANDREWS

Wants the war ended; blames it for record gas and diesel prices. source

GRAHAM

Opposes Congress ending the war while Iran is "still dangerous"; favors sanctions to pressure Iran. source

Data centers

ANDREWS

Proposes a two-year pause on data center construction and rules making them pay their own way. source

GRAHAM

Opposes a pause, saying China would get ahead; co-sponsored the Ratepayer Protection Act. source

Immigration enforcement

ANDREWS

Wants a secure border but called recent ICE enforcement "deeply unamerican." source

GRAHAM

Says people here illegally should be "deported immediately"; opposes birthright citizenship. source

Tariffs

ANDREWS

Says tariffs raise grocery prices; would use congressional oversight to address them. source

GRAHAM

Says she trusts President Trump completely on imposing tariffs. source

The money

Each campaign's own filings with the Federal Election Commission, for the whole 2026 cycle. Reports are filed on different days, so check the date under each name.

RAISED

Andrews $20.2M

Graham $1.8M

SPENT

Andrews $17.9M

Graham $1.2M

CASH LEFT

Andrews $2.3M

Graham $610K

Andrews: through 2026-09-30; Graham: through 2026-09-30. Source: FEC, read 2026-10-23.

Outside groups

Money super PACs, parties and other groups reported spending on their own to help or hurt each candidate.

Annie Andrews

to help $20K

to hurt $141K

Darline Graham

to help $2.6M

to hurt $50K

Independent expenditures reported to the FEC for the 2026 cycle, primary included. Groups that do not have to report (some issue ads) are not counted.

Latest polling

An InsiderAdvantage poll of likely voters taken Sept. 28-29 had Graham at 46% and Andrews at 45% (margin of error 2.8 points); no independent October poll was confirmed. source

South Carolina right now

How the state is doing going into the vote, from the people who count it.

JOBLESS RATE

4.0%

US: 4.2%

September 2026, seasonally adjusted, preliminary. Source: BLS

GAS, REGULAR

$3.74

US: $4.27

State average on 2026-10-27. Source: AAA

Think you know how South Carolina goes? Call it on the map and see who controls the Senate.

Open the map Pick it with friends

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Annie Andrews by Stimpus1, CC0; Darline Graham by Rosa Pineda, United States Senate, Public domain.

Positions checked 2026-10-23. Things they agree on are left out on purpose. Spot something wrong? Use the feedback button and we will fix it.