Annie Andrews Poll: South Carolina Senate Race Tightens in 2026 Midterms A new poll shows Democrat Annie Andrews one point behind Republican Senator Darline Graham in the South Carolina Senate race, as Democrats eye a 2026 pickup opportunity. A new InsiderAdvantage poll released on Friday shows Democrat Annie Andrews trailing Republican Senator Darline Graham by just one percentage point in the South Carolina Senate race, with Graham at 46 percent and Andrews at 45 percent. The survey of 1,200 likely voters, conducted from September 28 to 29, 2026, has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.83 percentage points, signaling a surprisingly close contest in a state long considered a Republican stronghold. Close Race in South Carolina Senate PollThe poll also found that other candidates received 5 percent support, while 4 percent of respondents were undecided. This is the latest in a series of surveys indicating a competitive race. A recent Trafalgar Group poll, conducted from September 23 to 25 among 1,087 likely voters, showed Graham leading Andrews 43 percent to 42 percent, within its margin of error of 2.9 points. An earlier InsiderAdvantage poll, from September 8 to 9 with 1,200 likely voters, had Graham up 45 percent to 43 percent, also within the margin of error.These results mark a shift from 2024, when President Donald Trump won South Carolina with 58 percent of the vote against former Vice President Kamala Harris's 40 percent. Nationally, Democrats are seeing encouraging signs: a YouGov/The Economist survey of 1,003 likely voters from September 25 to 28 found Democrats with a 15-point lead on the generic ballot, 53 percent to 38 percent. Trump's nationwide approval rating has slipped amid frustration over the economy and cost of living, leading Democrats to hope they can expand the Senate map in the November 3 election.Background on Darline Graham and Annie AndrewsSenator Darline Graham was appointed to the Senate seat following the death of her brother, Senator Lindsey Graham, and she won the party's nomination with Trump's endorsement. Annie Andrews is a doctor and former congressional candidate. In a statement to Newsweek, the Andrews campaign said voters in the state do not know who Darline Graham is or what she believes, criticizing the senator's strategy to avoid reporters, avoid voters, and attack Annie rather than lay out a plan to help South Carolina. The statement added that Andrews continues traveling across South Carolina, talking directly with voters and laying out plans to cut taxes, suspend the gas tax, and tackle waste, fraud and spending in Washington. Newsweek also reached out to Graham's campaign for comment.South Carolina has long been one of the most solidly conservative states in the country, backing Trump by nearly 18 points in the 2024 presidential election. Democrats are hoping to expand the Senate map in traditionally Republican states like South Carolina, Kansas and Mississippi, in addition to double-digit Trump 2024 states that were already Senate battlegrounds like Alaska, Iowa, Ohio and Texas.Historical Polling and Democratic HopesThis is not the first time polls have shown a close Senate race in South Carolina. In 2020, polling indicated a tight contest between Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Jaime Harrison, but Graham won reelection by 10 points. A Data for Progress poll released just days before the 2020 election showed Graham up only 3 points against Harrison, 49 percent to 46 percent, among 880 likely voters from October 27 to November 1, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. A Morning Consult poll had Graham up 2 points, 46 percent to 44 percent, among 904 likely voters from October 22 to 31, 2020, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.Despite the close polling, South Carolina remains a difficult state for Democrats. At the presidential level, the state last voted for a Democratic candidate, former President Jimmy Carter, in 1976. It has given Republicans double-digit victories in recent cycles: Trump won by 18 points in 2024, nearly 12 points in 2020 and 14 points in 2016. The state backed Mitt Romney by 10 points in 2012 and John McCain by 9 points in 2008. Whether Andrews can overcome these historical trends and turn South Carolina blue remains to be seen, but the latest polling suggests an unexpectedly competitive race.