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People Are Absolutely Fired Up Over This Pediatrician Seeking To Unseat Lindsey Graham In 2026

Yahoo

3 days ago

Yahoo

People Are Absolutely Fired Up Over This Pediatrician Seeking To Unseat Lindsey Graham In 2026

You've almost certainly heard the name (and of the various misdeeds) of Lindsey Graham if you've been politically conscious at any point since 2003. That's the year he was sworn into the US Senate, representing his home state of South Carolina. He's held the seat ever since. Senator Graham gained more national recognition during President Donald Trump's first campaign, widely and publicly criticizing him before pulling a complete 180 and defending many of his political moves over the last decade. Graham is currently serving his fourth term, but he's up for reelection next year. That's where Dr. Annie Andrews, a South Carolina doctor, comes in. She's running as a Democrat for Lindsey Graham's seat. She previously sought to defeat incumbent Republican Nancy Mace in the 2022 race for South Carolina's District 1 House seat, but was unsuccessful. I could list out her policies, but she does it best in a campaign announcement that's gone viral across platforms. She starts the video by saying she's been a pediatrician in South Carolina for nearly two decades, trusted by parents "to treat their kids for just about anything you can imagine." She then pulls out a series of X-rays of children with different medical conditions, each to highlight a specific point about her views. First is a child with measles pneumonia, "a condition easily prevented by vaccines," she says. "This is a kid with cancer. One of the diseases the NIH doesn't have the funding to study anymore," Dr. Andrews continues, showing more X-rays. "And this is a kid who's been shot. Which, despite being the number one cause of death for children in America, is no longer classified as a public health crisis." Dr. Annie Andrews for Senate / COURIER / TikTok / Via She then says, with an X-ray of a constipated patient, "And this kid, there's really no other way to say this... is quite literally full of shit." Andrews then points to a video of Senator Graham. "And this is an adult who is also completely and unequivocally full of shit." Dr. Annie Andrews for Senate / COURIER / TikTok / Via Related: This Republican Lawmaker's Embarrassing Lack Of Knowledge Of The Term "Intersex" Went Viral After He Proposed An Amendment To Cut LGBTQ+ Funding She then rolls the tape — a supercut of Graham walking back his statements about Donald Trump. "It's embarrassing, and South Carolina deserves better," Dr. Andrews says. She also slams the current administration, from Elon Musk's cutting Social Security funding to "vaccine-denying brain worm guy" Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gutting healthcare programs. She also mentions Secretary of Education Linda McMahon's mass layoffs and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's war-plans-on-Signal blunder. "And Lindsey Graham voted to confirm every single one of these people," Andrews says, then bangs her head on her dining table next to a wine glass. I feel you, girl. "All while backing Trump's plan to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires while raising yours. No wonder he won't show his face here in South Carolina," she goes on, cutting to a clip of Graham. "I don't need a town hall to know what to do," he says in it. "Lindsey Graham has been a senator for half of my lifetime — and as it turns out, most senators don't get better with age," Dr. Andrews says. "Will winning this race be easy? No. But you can't win if you don't run. And the one thing we can all agree on is [that] Lindsey Graham doesn't deserve a free pass back to D.C." Dr. Annie Andrews for Senate / COURIER / TikTok / Via Related: "I Am So Torn With What You Are Doing" — 11 Posts From MAGA Business Owners Who Are So Close To Getting It "Now, Lindsey is gonna tell you I'm radical, that I'm crazy. Because that's what weak men do when they feel threatened by strong women," she continues before offering a look into her very normal life as a busy mom and peek-a-boo-playing pediatrician. "SO radical," she jokes. "I also just happen to be someone who isn't afraid of a fight. And like so many of you, I am worried about what the future holds for our kids and our state," she says, then goes on to name issues like the climate crisis, failing hospitals and schools, and prices driven up by tariffs. "Worrying won't do anything, but stepping up to join me in this fight just might," Dr. Andrews says. "A fight where we put our common sense over culture wars and hope over hate." "Right now, Lindsey Graham is counting on all of us to stay quiet. And that means one thing — it's time to get loud. I'm Dr. Annie Andrews, and I hope you'll join me," she concludes. Courier posted the video on TikTok, where people were absolutely fired up. "YES. DOCTORS IN POLITICS," the top comment reads. Some folks said that Dr. Andrews is bringing the energy that Democrats have been lacking... ...and the youth. "This is how we flip Congress. An impressive and competent candidate who understands the messaging we need to be pushing. Well done," this person wrote. A lot of people were just blown away by her poise and candor. A TON of South Carolina folks were super amped up. "One of the best ads I've seen," someone wrote. You can watch Dr. Andrews's full ad here. Dr. Annie Andrews for Senate / COURIER / TikTok / Via So, what do you think? Share alllll your thoughts in the comments. Also in In the News: People Can't Believe This "Disgusting" Donald Trump Jr. Post About Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis Is Real Also in In the News: "We Don't Import Food": 31 Americans Who Are Just So, So Confused About Tariffs And US Trade Also in In the News: Republicans Are Calling Tim Walz "Tampon Tim," And The Backlash From Women Is Too Good Not To Share

This Haitian American funeral director makes Miami families feel seen

Yahoo

3 days ago

Yahoo

This Haitian American funeral director makes Miami families feel seen

When Miramar native Evans St. Fort opened St. Fort's Funeral Home in North Miami Beach in 2003, clients were skeptical of a funeral director still in his 20s. After sitting with him for a consultation, however, they quickly realized that St. Fort had far more experience than his youthful demeanor suggested, since St. Fort had spent his childhood watching his father manage a funeral home in Haiti. 'Clients would come and sit with me and look at me crazy because I was just 24 years old, but I knew what I was doing,' he said. 'They just couldn't believe that they were talking to someone so young.' Under St. Fort's leadership, the funeral home has become well-known among Miami's Haitian community and has served thousands of families over the past two-plus decades. While small mom-and-pop funeral homes have increasingly become a target for private equity and corporate ownership, St. Fort, now 46, said he has rejected offers to buy his business, preferring to keep the operation family-run. St. Fort's commitment to both the Miami community and to Haiti, where families were offered free funeral services following the 2010 earthquake, was recently recognized by the city of North Miami Beach, which renamed a street 'St. Fort Drive' last weekend. St. Fort grew up in Miramar and spent his summers with family in Haiti, where his father, Joseph St. Fort, had opened a funeral home in the '90s. He graduated from Miramar High School in 1997 and attended St. Thomas University before pursuing a degree in mortuary studies at Lynn University. After graduating in 2002, St. Fort had an internship at a funeral home while also working part-time at other funeral homes. Although he was just starting his professional career, he had a strong interest in building his own business and eventually found a vacant building that had previously been used as a funeral home in North Miami Beach that he hoped to purchase. St. Fort was 25 at the time, but his persistence in negotiating with the owners of the property paid off. He bought the funeral home using money he received after being in a car accident and funding from his parents and set a goal of becoming the best Black-owned funeral home in Miami. One of the first things he did was update the aesthetics of the traditional funeral home. 'When you walk into our funeral home, the way I wanted to set it up was to make it feel like you're in a hotel lobby,' he said. 'We went with high-end fixtures, nice furniture — modern, contemporary, fresh — so that when you're walking in, you're not feeling depressed.' The facility includes a chapel and reception space and offers cremation services. St. Fort said the business now manages an average of five funerals a week, with him and his team of eight sometimes servicing two funerals at the same time. He has noticed that more clients in recent years are opting for cremation services, as costs for funerals and grave spaces have risen. In that time, corporate entities have been buying out family-run businesses, and the increasingly pricey Miami real estate market has also had an effect. 'When I first got into the business, you could purchase a space [at a local cemetery] for $2,000,' he said, 'Now, you can't get a space cheaper than $15,000. So the reason I say it's dangerous is because what's happening is they're not giving families options anymore.' Today, St. Fort estimates that 70% of business comes via word of mouth. Miami postal worker Carr Alexis, 50, has known St. Fort for years and said he would not have had his late mother's service at any other funeral home. As a Haitian man, there are certain nuances that he only felt comfortable with a Haitian funeral director handling, he said. 'We Haitian people are very dignified,' he said. 'Evans doesn't go about Americanizing [our funerals].' St. Fort has noticed many things about Haitian funerals that separate them from typical American funerals. For example, the color red is frowned upon and cannot be worn. If a child dies, the parents cannot follow the deceased child into the cemetery. Passing out is common during Haitian funerals, and if one person passes out, others generally follow. Similarly, if one person yells loudly during a funeral, other people will, too. 'Haitians are much more emotional and comfortable with sharing their emotions,' he said. Despite Alexis' reassurances about St. Fort, he said his relatives from Montreal came to Miami for his mother's funeral with high standards and a skepticism about whether St. Fort would be able to give her the send-off she deserved. But by the end of the services, they agreed he had lived up to their expectations. 'When everything was done, all I saw was hugs and handshakes thrown at Evans,' Alexis said. Through his work, St. Fort said he has had the opportunity to plan services for the families of some prominent figures in the community, including Haitian musician Wyclef Jean and three-time Miami Heat champion Udonis Haslem. Having Jean sit in St. Fort's office to plan a family member's funeral was a full-circle moment for the funeral director, who grew up hearing people say negative things about the country from which his family came. 'When I was young, I was afraid to tell people that I was Haitian,' St. Fort said. 'But one day I was watching TV and I was watching a Fugees concert, and I saw Wyclef hold up the Haitian flag. When they blew up, I was like, 'Man, so it's not so bad to be Haitian.'' St. Fort said that while his funeral home has received 'a lot' of offers from prospective buyers, including some north of $5 million, he has declined because selling runs counter to his family's mission. 'When we've been approached, I've talked to my family about it, and the goal was not to build something and sell it but build something for the community and pass it along generations,' he said. In addition to the North Miami Beach facility, St. Fort in March opened a funeral home in Riverdale Park, Maryland, with a college classmate who has had success in the area, and he has also started a yacht rental business. His passion for serving others, however, is central to the work his father started in Haiti decades ago. He recommends that anyone pursuing a similar career have the same intention in mind. 'Don't initially get into it thinking, 'I'm doing this strictly for money,' because if you go in there thinking that, it's not going to work,' he said. 'You really have to have a place in your heart where you're about serving people.'

Miami Herald

3 days ago

Miami Herald

This Haitian American funeral director makes Miami families feel seen

When Miramar native Evans St. Fort opened St. Fort's Funeral Home in North Miami Beach in 2003, clients were skeptical of a funeral director still in his 20s. After sitting with him for a consultation, however, they quickly realized that St. Fort had far more experience than his youthful demeanor suggested, since St. Fort had spent his childhood watching his father manage a funeral home in Haiti. 'Clients would come and sit with me and look at me crazy because I was just 24 years old, but I knew what I was doing,' he said. 'They just couldn't believe that they were talking to someone so young.' Under St. Fort's leadership, the funeral home has become well-known among Miami's Haitian community and has served thousands of families over the past two-plus decades. While small mom-and-pop funeral homes have increasingly become a target for private equity and corporate ownership, St. Fort, now 46, said he has rejected offers to buy his business, preferring to keep the operation family-run. St. Fort's commitment to both the Miami community and to Haiti, where families were offered free funeral services following the 2010 earthquake, was recently recognized by the city of North Miami Beach, which renamed a street 'St. Fort Drive' last weekend. St. Fort grew up in Miramar and spent his summers with family in Haiti, where his father, Joseph St. Fort, had opened a funeral home in the '90s. He graduated from Miramar High School in 1997 and attended St. Thomas University before pursuing a degree in mortuary studies at Lynn University. After graduating in 2002, St. Fort had an internship at a funeral home while also working part-time at other funeral homes. Although he was just starting his professional career, he had a strong interest in building his own business and eventually found a vacant building that had previously been used as a funeral home in North Miami Beach that he hoped to purchase. St. Fort was 25 at the time, but his persistence in negotiating with the owners of the property paid off. He bought the funeral home using money he received after being in a car accident and funding from his parents and set a goal of becoming the best Black-owned funeral home in Miami. One of the first things he did was update the aesthetics of the traditional funeral home. 'When you walk into our funeral home, the way I wanted to set it up was to make it feel like you're in a hotel lobby,' he said. 'We went with high-end fixtures, nice furniture — modern, contemporary, fresh — so that when you're walking in, you're not feeling depressed.' The facility includes a chapel and reception space and offers cremation services. St. Fort said the business now manages an average of five funerals a week, with him and his team of eight sometimes servicing two funerals at the same time. He has noticed that more clients in recent years are opting for cremation services, as costs for funerals and grave spaces have risen. In that time, corporate entities have been buying out family-run businesses, and the increasingly pricey Miami real estate market has also had an effect. 'When I first got into the business, you could purchase a space [at a local cemetery] for $2,000,' he said, 'Now, you can't get a space cheaper than $15,000. So the reason I say it's dangerous is because what's happening is they're not giving families options anymore.' Today, St. Fort estimates that 70% of business comes via word of mouth. Miami postal worker Carr Alexis, 50, has known St. Fort for years and said he would not have had his late mother's service at any other funeral home. As a Haitian man, there are certain nuances that he only felt comfortable with a Haitian funeral director handling, he said. 'We Haitian people are very dignified,' he said. 'Evans doesn't go about Americanizing [our funerals].' St. Fort has noticed many things about Haitian funerals that separate them from typical American funerals. For example, the color red is frowned upon and cannot be worn. If a child dies, the parents cannot follow the deceased child into the cemetery. Passing out is common during Haitian funerals, and if one person passes out, others generally follow. Similarly, if one person yells loudly during a funeral, other people will, too. 'Haitians are much more emotional and comfortable with sharing their emotions,' he said. Despite Alexis' reassurances about St. Fort, he said his relatives from Montreal came to Miami for his mother's funeral with high standards and a skepticism about whether St. Fort would be able to give her the send-off she deserved. But by the end of the services, they agreed he had lived up to their expectations. 'When everything was done, all I saw was hugs and handshakes thrown at Evans,' Alexis said. Through his work, St. Fort said he has had the opportunity to plan services for the families of some prominent figures in the community, including Haitian musician Wyclef Jean and three-time Miami Heat champion Udonis Haslem. Having Jean sit in St. Fort's office to plan a family member's funeral was a full-circle moment for the funeral director, who grew up hearing people say negative things about the country from which his family came. 'When I was young, I was afraid to tell people that I was Haitian,' St. Fort said. 'But one day I was watching TV and I was watching a Fugees concert, and I saw Wyclef hold up the Haitian flag. When they blew up, I was like, 'Man, so it's not so bad to be Haitian.'' St. Fort said that while his funeral home has received 'a lot' of offers from prospective buyers, including some north of $5 million, he has declined because selling runs counter to his family's mission. 'When we've been approached, I've talked to my family about it, and the goal was not to build something and sell it but build something for the community and pass it along generations,' he said. In addition to the North Miami Beach facility, St. Fort in March opened a funeral home in Riverdale Park, Maryland, with a college classmate who has had success in the area, and he has also started a yacht rental business. His passion for serving others, however, is central to the work his father started in Haiti decades ago. He recommends that anyone pursuing a similar career have the same intention in mind. 'Don't initially get into it thinking, 'I'm doing this strictly for money,' because if you go in there thinking that, it's not going to work,' he said. 'You really have to have a place in your heart where you're about serving people.'

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People Are Absolutely Fired Up Over This Pediatrician Seeking To Unseat Lindsey Graham In 2026

This Haitian American funeral director makes Miami families feel seen

This Haitian American funeral director makes Miami families feel seen

The difference of local: Small businesses cater to life in the Key City

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People Are Absolutely Fired Up Over This Pediatrician Seeking To Unseat Lindsey Graham In 2026

This Haitian American funeral director makes Miami families feel seen

This Haitian American funeral director makes Miami families feel seen

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