Democrat Annie Andrews won South Carolina's Senate seat on Tuesday, defeating Republican Darline Graham. The victory marked the state's first Democratic Senate win in 28 years.
Andrews, a paediatrician, defied pre-election polls. Graham, who was appointed to the seat in July after the death of her brother former-Senator Lindsey Graham, struggled during her primary campaign. When asked about US policy toward Taiwan during a debate, Graham said "National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military."
Graham's appointment had won support from Donald Trump. Trump won South Carolina by 18 points in 2024.
Andrews told supporters after her victory: "You have shown the nation that in this era of partisan divides, of vitriol and name-calling, in a politics dominated by billionaires and special interest groups and insiders in Washington, DC, that we will not bow down."
Andrews added that South Carolina had "sent a clear message that this Senate seat does not belong to one family, one party, or to Washington DC."