Who is Dr. Annie Andrews? Senate candidate is in the spotlight after Lindsey Graham’s death

Dr. Annie Andrews, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in South Carolina, is getting national attention following the death of her Republican opponent, Sen. Lindsey Graham, over the weekend.

The Democrat, who handily won her primary in June, was expected to face off Graham in the November 3 midterm election. His sudden death at age 71 will scramble the race as South Carolina Republicans seek to replace their nominee.

Andrews, a pediatrician, has touted her medical background in treating children as the right kind of experience for elected office. In an ad launching her campaign last year, Andrews featured an X-ray of a child with measles pneumonia and noted the condition could be prevented by vaccines — a policy issue that gained relevance on the campaign trail after a measles outbreak was reported in South Carolina toward the end of the year.

The scope of the outbreak made South Carolina the epicenter of measles cases for several months. During that time, Andrews used her growing social media following to post public service announcements about measles cases and to urge caution in how potential constituents in the state were responding to the outbreak. Andrews is among several doctors seeking office during an election year where healthcare costs and public health are top of mind for voters.

“I never in a million years, when I was in medical school, thought that I would be running for the U.S. Senate and also talking about measles nearly every single day,” Andrews told The 19th in January.

Andrews was particularly critical of Graham’s limited remarks on the measles outbreak. She also highlighted their differences on healthcare, budget spending and foreign policy. She often speaks about affordability through the lens of parenthood — she co-parents three school-aged children with an ex-spouse. Among her priorities are expanding affordable childcare and restoring federally protected abortion access.

Andrews noted her policy differences with her Republican opponent in a statement on Monday, calling Graham’s death “sudden and unexpected.”

“Now, it’s no secret that Senator Graham and I didn’t agree on much, but we did agree that when you love your country, you raise your hand to serve, and we both believed in the greatness of South Carolina,” she said in a video.

“Senator Graham was a fighter. No one can dispute that,” she said. “But here’s what I want you to know about me: I’m a fighter too. My fight is for you and your family. It’s for my three kids. My fight is South Carolina’s fight. And even though we may not always agree, I will always show up and fight for you. So as we move forward, no matter your party, let’s remember that there is far more that unites us than divides us, and that life is bigger than politics. Let’s commit to building a better South Carolina together.”

Andrews’ bid against Graham — she first ran unsuccessfully in 2022 for a House seat held at the time by former Republican Rep. Nancy Mace — had been viewed as an uphill battle given the late senator’s multiple terms in office. Graham was also an ally of President Donald Trump, a political relationship that started on uneven footing a decade ago when he warned Americans to reject Trump’s first run for office.

Under South Carolina law, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster has the power to pick a temporary replacement to serve out Graham’s existing term, which is set to end in January. On Monday, he announced his selection of Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone — a choice that had followed a public endorsement by Trump via a social media post. During a news conference, McMaster said he told the president of his plans on Sunday.

Nordone said during a news conference that it was an honor to continue her brother’s work.

“It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States,” she said.

Nordone has never been elected to office, but during his 2015 presidential bid Graham had spoken of their close bond. The siblings’ parents died 15 months apart when Nordone was a minor and Graham was in his early 20s. Graham eventually became Nordone’s legal guardian, allowing her to qualify for his military benefits. The story of those years is also how Nordone explained her brother’s decision to never marry.

“He was a young man taking on a young girl and teenager to raise,” she once said. “He was just dedicating all of that time to raising me and going to school and trying to get an education. There’s just only so much time in a day.”

Republicans who want to run for Graham’s seat have a brief filing period this month before a special primary election is scheduled in August. A new nominee will then have just a few months to campaign against Andrews before the midterms.