Republican Sen. Darline Graham of South Carolina and Democratic challenger Dr. Annie Andrews engaged in a contentious debate Sunday night in Columbia, trading barbs over national security, economic policy, and political alignment with President Donald Trump in a race that has emerged as surprisingly competitive heading into the November general election.
Graham, who was appointed to fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat after his sudden death in July at age 71, faced off against Andrews, a pediatrician, and Libertarian nominee Kasie Whitener in what is currently the only scheduled debate of the general election campaign. The two major party candidates are competing for a full six-year Senate term; the winner will be the first female senator elected from South Carolina.
Andrews focused much of her attack on Graham's lack of political experience and foreign policy expertise. She repeatedly invoked a moment from Graham's primary runoff debate in which Graham admitted that "national security is not my thing" when asked about U.S. interests in Taiwan and the South China Sea. "If your surgeon said that appendectomies aren't really his thing, would you still hand him a scalpel? No," Andrews said. "So why would we hand Darline Graham a full term in the U.S. Senate? She is unserious and unqualified." Graham, who had previously worked in state government but had not been directly involved in electoral politics, responded by saying she was being honest about her knowledge and accused Andrews of flip-flopping on major issues.
The candidates diverged sharply on the Iran conflict and its economic impact. Andrews blamed Graham for voting three times against war powers resolutions that would have restricted Trump's war with Iran, arguing that the conflict directly caused elevated gas and diesel prices that are harming South Carolina farmers. "The war is the exact reason we now have record-high gas and diesel prices," Andrews said. Graham acknowledged that gas prices are currently high but attributed the issue to regulatory barriers and said that suspending the gas tax and easing drilling restrictions would provide permanent relief.
On social security, Andrews said she would raise the income caps that determine how much wealthy people pay into the system but would not increase the retirement age, characterizing Graham's position as aligned with Washington insiders seeking to privatize the program for profit. Graham countered that social security benefits helped her and her brother survive after their parents died young, and she highlighted provisions in Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" that lowered taxes on tips and social security benefits—provisions Andrews had criticized by calling the bill "the one big, ugly bill."
The debate also touched on artificial intelligence policy and contentious personal matters. When discussion turned to AI guardrails, Andrews pivoted to question Graham's overall qualifications, saying Graham had been "a good interim pick" but "has shown time and time again that she is not up for the job" for a full six-year term. Graham responded by stating, "I'm just as qualified as you." Earlier in the debate, Andrews had suggested Graham was using her maiden name for political advantage given her brother's decades of service. Graham defended her choice, stating, "My legal name is Graham and has always been Graham," and explaining that she kept the name to maintain connection to her deceased parents.
Graham repeatedly sought to tie Andrews to the political left, calling her the "most radical liberal that's ever run for state office in South Carolina" and accusing her of supporting government-run healthcare and opposing Trump's policies. Andrews rejected these characterizations, stating she supports the Second Amendment, a secure border, and deportation of undocumented immigrants who break the law. "The real difference between me and Sen. Graham is that I will stand up to my own party, and I will always put South Carolina first," Andrews said. Graham also frequently referenced Trump's support for her campaign, though observers noted she did so less prominently than during her primary campaign.
The race's unexpected competitiveness is underscored by external spending. The top Senate Republican super PAC has pledged to spend $5 million to shore up Graham's campaign, described as an "insurance policy" for the Republican's victory. South Carolina is historically a ruby-red state where Trump remains popular among Republican voters, but Democrats have expressed confidence in their prospects as Trump's popularity has declined nationally. The general election is scheduled for three weeks following the debate, though the exact date was not specified in available sources.
