Republican Sen. Darline Graham and Democratic nominee Annie Andrews traded sharp criticisms during a televised debate Sunday night, presenting contrasting cases for a South Carolina Senate seat in a race that has tightened unexpectedly as the midterm campaign enters its final weeks.
The hour-long debate—the only scheduled broadcast meeting between the candidates three weeks before the general election—covered issues including foreign relations, economic policy, and artificial intelligence, yet frequently returned to arguments over which candidate was less prepared for office.
The seat became vacant in July following the sudden death of Lindsey Graham, who was seeking his fifth term in the Senate. Although some opponents criticized him for working too closely with Democrats, he won the Republican primary in June and was expected to hold the seat.
Following his death, Darline Graham was appointed to complete her late brother’s term and subsequently ran in the special primary. Backed by President Donald Trump—with whom her brother shared a close political alliance—she moved on to a runoff and won the nomination.
With a different Graham family member on the ballot, the contest has become increasingly competitive. Democrats see an opportunity to regain ground in Congress as Trump’s popularity remains low.
Meanwhile, outside Republican groups have directed millions of dollars into the state to back Graham, funding that observers have described as an "insurance policy" to secure the seat.
On Sunday, Graham repeatedly cited her alignment with the president, though her references were less prominent than during the primary campaign.
Andrews addressed Graham’s ties to Trump, saying she would challenge her party's leadership when she disagreed with its decisions. She argued Graham would not exercise similar independence, calling her rival "the White House’s ambassador to South Carolina."
Graham previously worked in state government but had not run for elected office, though she supported her brother throughout his career in the U.S. House and Senate.
When Andrews criticized her for using her maiden name to gain a political advantage, Graham clarified that she only used her married name, Nordone, on a social media profile and that her legal documents always bore her maiden name.
"My legal name is Graham, it has always been Graham," the Republican candidate said, adding that retaining the name maintained her connection to her parents, who died when she was young. "Thank you for bringing up a horrible, tragic memory for me."
On foreign policy, Andrews referenced a moment from the Republican runoff debate in which Graham struggled to answer whether the U.S. maintains a national security interest in Taiwan and the South China Sea before stating, "National security is not my thing."
"If your surgeon said that appendectomies aren’t really his thing, would you still hand him a scalpel? No," Andrews said, describing Graham as "unserious and unqualified."
Graham pushed back against the critique. "Your thing apparently is not being honest with people of South Carolina. At least I’m honest. If I don’t know something, I am glad to say it, and I’ll say it again tonight," she said, accusing Andrews of changing positions on key issues. "You are deceiving the people of South Carolina. You have flip-flopped on everything."
A discussion regarding artificial intelligence regulatory frameworks also shifted back to qualifications. After Graham praised the president's establishment of an AI task force, Andrews remarked that while Graham was a suitable interim appointee, she "has shown time and time again that she is not up for the job" of serving a full six-year term.
Graham responded, "I’m just as qualified as you," pointing out that Andrews has also never held elected office.
Libertarian candidate Kasie Whitener also participated in the event, though the debate remained focused on the exchanges between Graham and Andrews. With three women contesting the position, South Carolina will elect its first female member of the U.S. Senate.
Early voting in South Carolina opens on Oct. 19.
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