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South Carolina has not elected a Democrat since 1998

October 29, 2026

The Guardian reports that South Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998, and Donald Trump won it by nearly 18 points in 2024, but a New York Times/Siena poll this week has the two candidates neck and neck, at 48% each.

AP News and AP report that voters in South Carolina have not sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly three decades. AP News and AP report that but Andrews, a pediatrician who previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress, is urging voters seeking change to “try something new for once.” AP News and AP report that President Donald Trump was in South Carolina for the second time in a month Thursday, a sign of growing Republican anxiety about Darline Graham's ability to fend off a robust challenge from Democrat Annie Andrews for a critical US Senate seat.

The Guardian reports that South Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1998, and Donald Trump won it by nearly 18 points in 2024, but a New York Times/Siena poll this week has the two candidates neck and neck, at 48% each. A New York Times/Siena poll released October 28 showed Graham and her Democratic opponent Annie Andrews neck and neck in the state that Trump won by 17 points two years ago, The Hill reports. The Hill reports that according to a Civiqs tracking poll, Trump’s approval rating in the Palmetto State sits at 41 percent while his disapproval rating clocks in at 51 percent. That pitch appears to be working with independents, who back her over Graham by 57% to 37%, The Guardian reports.

The Guardian reports that Graham’s inexperience has become one of the defining aspects of the campaign, which culminated in an August debate when Graham admitted Graham was “not that informed on national security” when asked about US policy on Taiwan. According to The Guardian, in the poll, 51% of voters said she lacked the right experience to be an effective senator. October 28’s New York Times/Siena poll showed Graham and Andrews tied at 48 percent with a margin of error of 4.3 percent, The Hill reports.

AP News and AP report that voters in South Carolina have not sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly three decades. AP News and AP report that but Andrews, a pediatrician who previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress, is urging voters seeking change to “try something new for once.” AP News and AP report that President Donald Trump was in South Carolina for the second time in a month Thursday, a sign of growing Republican anxiety about Darline Graham's ability to fend off a robust challenge from Democrat Annie Andrews for a critical US Senate seat. AP News and AP report that that message could resonate in an election year that has come to be defined by voter frustration with the economy, gas prices and the war in Iran, putting Trump's Republican Party on defense in territory where Republican Party have rarely had to compete in recent years. A US Senate race in one of the most Republican states in the country is now a dead heat, according to a new poll showing Annie Andrews, a Democrat, tied with Darline Graham, the Republican incumbent senator, The Guardian reports. That same poll showed how much Andrews has been outrunning her own party – the Democratic candidate for governor, Jermaine Johnson, trailed the Republican, Alan Wilson, by 10 points. Both parties are also closely following developments in the Mississippi Senate race, AP News and AP report.

Still developing

The Guardian reports that that same poll showed how much Andrews has been outrunning her own party – the Democratic candidate for governor, Jermaine Johnson, trailed the Republican, Alan Wilson, by 10 points. Both parties are also closely following developments in the Mississippi Senate race, AP News and AP report.

How settled the reporting is

Reported 100% · Contested 0% · Developing 0%

Sources

Toggle read the full reports of 4 of the 8 outlets counted on this event. The other 4 are counted from their headlines and opening sentences.