How a Democrat shocked the world in South Carolina
Annie Andrews turned a longshot into a real shot with money and outreach after Darline Graham replaced her late brother on the ticket.
In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews made a surprising move in the Senate race by spending over $5 million on advertising when GOP nominee Darline Graham struggled to raise funds. Despite initial doubts about Democrats' chances in the traditionally red state, Andrews quietly became the frontrunner, according to campaign sources.
By October, Andrews led by 3 points, but the campaign refused to release the poll results to avoid drawing attention from national Republicans. Despite support from national Democrats and local leaders, Andrews campaigned locally and attracted contributions from across the political spectrum, including former GOP Rep. Mark Sanford.
President Trump's endorsement of Graham proved unpopular among many South Carolina Republicans, contributing to her defeat. Andrews raised more than $25 million and swamped Graham, who raised only $2 million, ultimately winning the Senate seat.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
