South Carolina Senate: Graham 49%, Andrews 45%

South Carolina Republican Sen. Darline Graham still leads Democratic challenger Annie Andrews in the contest for the seat formerly held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that, if the election were held today, 49% of Likely South Carolina voters would vote for Graham, while 45% would vote for Andrews. Six percent (6%) are not sure. In early September, Graham held a five-point lead, 48% to 43%.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

Darline Graham was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to fill her brother’s Senate seat after he died of a sudden heart attack in July; she won the GOP primary in August. 

Ninety-three percent (88%) of Republicans would vote for Graham, as would 10% of Democrats and 31% of voters not affiliated with either major party. Andrews is supported by 88% of Democrats, six percent (6%) of Republicans and 49% of unaffiliated voters. Twenty percent (20%) of unaffiliated South Carolina voters are undecided.

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The survey of 837 South Carolina Likely Voters was conducted on October 5-8, 2026 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Graham leads by nine points (51% to 42%) among men, and is tied with Andrews (47% each) among women voters.

Graham is supported by 62% of whites, 17% of black voters, 35% of Hispanics and 50% of other minorities, while 32% of whites, 78% of black voters, 57% of Hispanics and 34% of other minorities would vote for Andrews.

A majority of voters 50 and older favor Graham, while Andrews leads by 24 points, 58% to 34%, among voters under 30.

Eighty-eight percent (88%) of Very Conservative voters support Graham, while two-thirds (66%) of liberals in South Carolina would vote for Andrews. Among moderate voters, Andrews leads by 38 points, 65% to 27%.

Seventy-nine percent (79%) of those who voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election would vote for Graham, while Andrews is supported by 88% of Kamala Harris voters.

Democrat challenger Troy Jackson has a two-point lead over Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking her sixth term in the Senate. 

Democrat Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan leads by three points over Republican Michele Tafoya in the race to fill the Minnesota Senate seat vacated by the retirement of Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to the public as well as Platinum Members.

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