Latest news with #SenateElection
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sen. Lindsey Graham gets a 2026 challenge from Democrat Annie Andrews, who ran against Nancy Mace
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Dr. Annie Andrews, the South Carolina Democrat who unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Nancy Mace in 2022, says she's running against Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in 2026, challenging the four-term incumbent in part due to what she characterized as his waffling positions over the course of his political career. 'He's changed his position on nearly every issue over that time and that's because, in my view, he doesn't stand for anything or believe in anything other than what it takes to get reelected,' Andrews, a pediatrician in Charleston, told The Associated Press before a campaign rollout Thursday. In her launch video, Andrews says it's 'embarrassing' to see how politicians like Graham — at the moment one of President Donald Trump's top Senate allies — have swung from criticizing Trump to working to gain his favor. The video features archival video of Graham bemoaning critics who called Trump a 'kook' and then, a year earlier, using the same term to describe his former GOP primary foe in the 2016 presidential contest. Andrews also levies criticism at Graham for voting to confirm Trump's Cabinet picks and for his relationship with Elon Musk, describing 'an unelected billionaire ... taking a chainsaw to Social Security, Medicare and veterans' healthcare.' She calls Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 'a guy who can't even organize a text thread,' a reference to the recent Signal chat scandal in which war plans were discussed. No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina in decades, and Republicans in recent history typically take statewide seats by double-digit margins. When he last ran in 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percentage point margin. That contest turned into South Carolina's most expensive ever, with both candidates posting record fundraising that surpassed $200 million total and continued to grow in the race's closing days. Harrison, who went on to chair the Democratic National Committee, became the first U.S. Senate candidate to amass a war chest of more than $100 million over the course of the race. Andrews was the Democratic nominee who unsuccessfully sought to unseat Mace in 2022, losing to the Republican by 14 percentage points. South Carolina's 1st District, which spans the state's southern coast, is the only one to have flipped from red to blue in decades, when Joe Cunningham won it for Democrats for a single term in the 2018 election. Mace won it in 2020 and has been reelected twice, although in 2026 she is eyeing a race for governor. In the years since her House run, Andrews stepped away from her practice at the Medical University of South Carolina and founded a political organization focused on issues related to children, including climate change, gun violence and childhood poverty. According to federal filings, an affiliated political action committee, Their Future PAC, gave $7,000 to a handful of candidates in the 2024 cycle and had about $5,000 on hand at the end of 2024. Asked about Democrats' lackluster statewide record in the state, Andrews said she felt Harrison's effort was 'hamstrung' by necessary precautions in place during the pandemic. Now, she said, voters feel strained under the effects of the Trump administration's 'chaotic' policies. "Lindsey Graham has had 22 years to make things better for folks here in South Carolina, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find many voters who could articulate in what way Lindsey has made their life better," Andrews said. Graham, seeking his fifth Senate term, kicked off his reelection campaign in February, announcing that Gov. Henry McMaster and Sen. Tim Scott would chair his effort. Scott, the state's junior senator, is serving as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the chamber's campaign arm. At least one Republican has announced a primary challenge to Graham. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at
Washington Post
3 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Sen. Lindsey Graham gets a 2026 challenge from Democrat Annie Andrews, who ran against Nancy Mace
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Dr. Annie Andrews, the South Carolina Democrat who unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Nancy Mace in 2022, says she's running against Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in 2026, challenging the four-term incumbent in part due to what she characterized as his waffling positions over the course of his political career.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Sen. Lindsey Graham gets a 2026 challenge from Democrat Annie Andrews, who ran against Nancy Mace
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Dr. Annie Andrews, the South Carolina Democrat who unsuccessfully challenged Rep. Nancy Mace in 2022, says she's running against Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in 2026, challenging the four-term incumbent in part due to what she characterized as his waffling positions over the course of his political career. 'He's changed his position on nearly every issue over that time and that's because, in my view, he doesn't stand for anything or believe in anything other than what it takes to get reelected,' Andrews, a pediatrician in Charleston, told The Associated Press before a campaign rollout Thursday. In her launch video, Andrews says it's 'embarrassing' to see how politicians like Graham — at the moment one of President Donald Trump's top Senate allies — have swung from criticizing Trump to working to gain his favor. The video features archival video of Graham bemoaning critics who called Trump a 'kook' and then, a year earlier, using the same term to describe his former GOP primary foe in the 2016 presidential contest. Andrews also levies criticism at Graham for voting to confirm Trump's Cabinet picks and for his relationship with Elon Musk, describing 'an unelected billionaire ... taking a chainsaw to Social Security, Medicare and veterans' healthcare.' She calls Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 'a guy who can't even organize a text thread,' a reference to the recent Signal chat scandal in which war plans were discussed. No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina in decades, and Republicans in recent history typically take statewide seats by double-digit margins. When he last ran in 2020, Graham defeated his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, by a 10 percentage point margin. That contest turned into South Carolina's most expensive ever, with both candidates posting record fundraising that surpassed $200 million total and continued to grow in the race's closing days. Harrison, who went on to chair the Democratic National Committee, became the first U.S. Senate candidate to amass a war chest of more than $100 million over the course of the race. Andrews was the Democratic nominee who unsuccessfully sought to unseat Mace in 2022, losing to the Republican by 14 percentage points. South Carolina's 1st District, which spans the state's southern coast, is the only one to have flipped from red to blue in decades, when Joe Cunningham won it for Democrats for a single term in the 2018 election. Mace won it in 2020 and has been reelected twice, although in 2026 she is eyeing a race for governor. In the years since her House run, Andrews stepped away from her practice at the Medical University of South Carolina and founded a political organization focused on issues related to children, including climate change, gun violence and childhood poverty. According to federal filings, an affiliated political action committee, Their Future PAC, gave $7,000 to a handful of candidates in the 2024 cycle and had about $5,000 on hand at the end of 2024. Asked about Democrats' lackluster statewide record in the state, Andrews said she felt Harrison's effort was 'hamstrung' by necessary precautions in place during the pandemic. Now, she said, voters feel strained under the effects of the Trump administration's 'chaotic' policies. 'Lindsey Graham has had 22 years to make things better for folks here in South Carolina, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to find many voters who could articulate in what way Lindsey has made their life better,' Andrews said. Graham, seeking his fifth Senate term, kicked off his reelection campaign in February, announcing that Gov. Henry McMaster and Sen. Tim Scott would chair his effort. Scott, the state's junior senator, is serving as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the chamber's campaign arm. At least one Republican has announced a primary challenge to Graham. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
One Nation gets one extra seat in the Senate with incoming WA senator Tyron Whitten
One Nation has picked up another Senate seat, with Western Australian candidate Tyron Whitten winning the sixth and final spot at the May 3 election. The Australian Electoral Commission finalised the WA Senate makeup on Thursday, with the businessman winning a seat alongside Labor's Ellie Whiteaker and Varun Ghosh, the Greens' Jordon Steele-John and Liberal senators Slade Brockman and Matt O'Sullivan. Mr Whitten is one of three co-founders of his family civil construction company Whitten, which says it employs 1000 people and has an annual turnover of more than $180m. His win increases One Nation's Senate footprint from two to three senators, including Pauline Hanson, after the AEC confirmed Queensland senator Malcolm Roberts would also be returned. Senator Roberts took to X to thank voters for his re-election, and welcomed the party's gain. 'One Nation is going to increase its Senate representation by 50 per cent with a new Senator from WA also elected after coming agonisingly close in Victoria and South Australia,' he wrote. Senator Roberts beat out LNP defector Gerard Rennick, who quit the party after he was booted from the Senate ticket. Labor also won an extra seat in Queensland, with former casino lobbyist Corrinne Mulholland winning a spot alongside incumbent senator Nita Green. LNP senators Susan McDonald and Paul Scarr were returned, as was new Greens leader Larissa Waters. While the results for the NSW Senate battle have yet to be finalised, Labor is set to increase its numbers to 28, which means it will be able to pass legislation with the support of the 11 Greens senators. As is stands the Coalition are projected to hold 27 Senate spots.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Pauline Hanson's One Nation scores surprise boost as Tyron Whitten wins Senate seat in WA
One Nation has secured a surprise boost to its numbers in federal Parliament, after businessman Tyron Whitten won Western Australia's sixth Senate seat. The result is the first time the party founded by Pauline Hanson has won an upper house seat outside Queensland at a half-Senate election, and came on the same day One Nation's Malcolm Roberts retained his sunshine state seat, defeating Liberal-National party defector Gerard Rennick. Labor had hoped to win the last Senate spot in WA, bringing its numbers in the chamber to 30. Deep Singh, a former organiser with the United Worker's Union, was in a close race for the last spot. The Australian Electoral Commission finalised the WA count on Thursday, with Labor's Ellie Whiteaker and Varun Ghosh elected, alongside Liberal Matt O'Sullivan and the Greens' Jordon Steele-John. One Nation said Whitten, who co-founded the construction services company Whittens with his brother Clayton in 2001, has 'always encouraged his family and those around him to take action when they see injustice or broken policies'. A profile published by One Nation said he believes in a strong national energy policy, and wants curb overseas arrivals into Australia, blaming migrants for housing costs and pressure on infrastructure and essential services. 'Our government is selling out Australians with policies that benefit corporations and global bureaucracies while leaving our own people struggling. It's time to put Australians first,' Whitten said. 'One Nation holds the values that my grandfather went to war for. It is the least I can do to repay his service to his country and give mine and all Australian families the way of life we sometimes take for granted.' In social media posts he has criticised multiculturalism and called for migrants to respect Australian values and the country's 'way of life'. He said Australians should speak up against overseas arrivals who try and impose their culture here. The result means One Nation will have three senators, alongside Hanson, who is up for re-election at the end of the coming term. The Australian Electoral Officer for Western Australia, Anita Ratcliffe, announced the final distribution of preferences had been completed about 3pm. 'As with all aspects of the count, scrutineers appointed by the candidates were able to witness the automated distribution of preferences undertaken today,' she said. On social media, One Nation called Whitten's win a 'well-deserved result for a passionate advocate of the people'. 'We look forward to the strong voice he will bring to Parliament on behalf of Western Australians,' the party said. Along with Roberts, the Liberal-National party's Paul Scarr and Susan McDonald were elected in Queensland, alongside Labor's Nita Green and Corinne Mulholland, and Greens leader Larissa Waters. Rennick quit the LNP in mid-2024 after being pushed off the Senate ticket in favour of party treasurer Stuart Fraser. Rennick's subsequent challenge to the result was unsuccessful. Roberts thanked voters for reelecting him and promised to continue his 'mission as a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia.' Counting is continuing in the Sydney lower house seat of Bradfield, with Liberal Gisele Kapterian ahead of independent Nicollete Boele by 7 votes at 5pm on Thursday.
