Graham and Andrews Trade Attacks on Iran, Gas Prices and AI in South Carolina Debate
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Republican Sen. Darline Graham and Democratic nominee Annie Andrews clashed over the Iran war, gas prices, Social Security and artificial intelligence data centers in a Sunday night debate in Columbia, South Carolina. The two women are competing for a full six-year Senate term, and the winner would become the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from the state.
The debate was hosted by South Carolina ETV, according to NBC News. ABC News, citing The Associated Press, reported that it was the candidates' only debate and that it came three weeks before the general election.
How the race got here
Graham was appointed to the seat after the sudden death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, in July. He had been seeking a fifth term. At the start of the debate, she noted that it had been exactly three months since he died at age 71, NBC reported.
According to the AP, Darline Graham entered a crowded special primary with the endorsement of President Donald Trump, advanced to a runoff and won. Libertarian Kasie Whitener also took part in the debate, though most of the exchanges were between Graham and Andrews.
Both outlets described the contest as tighter than expected. NBC reported that the top Senate Republican super PAC has pledged to spend $5 million to support Graham. ABC said outside groups have put millions into the race on her behalf. The two outlets describe Trump's standing differently: NBC says he remains popular among South Carolina Republican voters, while the AP says his popularity nationally remains low.
What Andrews argued
Andrews, a pediatrician who has not previously held elected office, portrayed Graham as inexperienced and unwilling to challenge the president. She called Graham “the White House’s ambassador to South Carolina,” according to both outlets.
On gas prices, Andrews said the Iran war is the reason for record-high gas and diesel costs and that farmers are being hurt. She said Graham voted three times against a war powers resolution that would have restricted the conflict. She also revisited Graham's admission in an earlier debate that “National security is not my thing,” comparing it to a surgeon who says an appendectomy is not his specialty. She called Graham unserious and unqualified.
On Social Security, Andrews said she would lift income caps so wealthier people pay more but would not raise the retirement age. On data centers, she said she wants a two-year moratorium, protections against rising utility rates and a return to local control.
What Graham argued
Graham described Andrews as the most radical liberal to run in South Carolina and said she would side with the Democratic Socialist Party. Andrews rejected that, saying she supports the Second Amendment, border security and deporting immigrants who are in the country illegally and break the law.
On costs, Graham said she has lived paycheck to paycheck and acknowledged that gas prices are high. She said she supports suspending the gas tax and that easing drilling regulations would bring prices down permanently. She said she wants the war to end but believes in “peace through strength.”
Graham defended Trump's tax law, saying it cut taxes on tips and Social Security, and accused Andrews of misleading voters by criticizing it. On data centers, she argued a moratorium would let China pull ahead in AI and endanger national security. She said she voted for the Ratepayer Protection Act, which aims to move data-center energy costs from consumers to AI companies, and that local communities, not the federal government, should decide where the facilities are built.
She also accused Andrews of flip-flopping, without giving specifics, and said, “I'm just as qualified as you,” per the AP.
A dispute over a name
According to the AP, Andrews criticized Graham for seeking political advantage from her maiden name, given her brother's long service. Graham said she used her husband's last name, Nordone, only on a social media page and never on legal documents. She said her legal name has always been Graham and that she kept it to stay connected to her parents, who both died when she was young.
Why it matters for South Carolina voters
The exchanges touched on several pocketbook issues. Both candidates acknowledged that gas prices are high but offered different remedies: Graham backed a gas tax suspension and looser drilling rules, while Andrews tied prices to the war and to Graham's votes on it.
The data-center debate bears on utility bills and local land-use decisions. Andrews proposed a pause and rate protections, while Graham pointed to the Ratepayer Protection Act and local decision-making. Their Social Security positions also differed: Andrews proposed higher caps on contributions, and Graham defended the tax law's changes on Social Security.
What happens next
Two weeks of early voting in South Carolina begin Oct. 19, ahead of the general election, which the AP noted is three weeks after the debate.
