Pediatrician Annie Andrews announced her Senate bid to unseat Sen. Lindsey Graham, slamming his Trump support and voting record.

Andrews Calls for Change in Bold Campaign Launch

Democratic pediatrician Dr. Annie Andrews has officially launched her campaign to challenge Republican Senator Lindsey Graham for his South Carolina seat, marking a sharp escalation in what promises to be a high-profile 2026 Senate race. Andrews, who previously ran unsuccessfully for the House in 2022, made the announcement Wednesday through a candid video ad that accuses Graham of political hypocrisy and failing South Carolinians.

In the ad, Andrews — wearing medical scrubs and appearing alongside young patients — contrasts her two-decade career in pediatrics with Graham’s long Senate tenure. She highlights children affected by preventable illness, gun violence, and inadequate healthcare funding, underscoring her claim that current leadership has lost touch with real issues. “And this is a kid who’s been shot,” she says. “Despite being the number one cause of death for children in America, it’s no longer classified as a public health crisis.”

The ad then shifts tone, showing an X-ray of a child with constipation before flashing to Graham. “This kid is quite literally full of s---,” Andrews says. “And this is an adult who is also completely and unequivocally full of s---.” The video cuts to clips of Graham criticizing President Donald Trump in 2016, followed by later footage of Graham praising Trump, illustrating what Andrews calls “embarrassing” contradictions.

Policy Attacks and Personal Framing

Andrews also attacks several figures associated with the Trump administration — including Elon Musk, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Linda McMahon, and Pete Hegseth — accusing them of weakening healthcare, education, and defense. She claims Graham supported their rise, although Musk was not confirmed by Senate vote due to his advisory role.

Her ad frames Graham as a career politician who, at 69, has “been a senator for half of [her] lifetime.” She juxtaposes that with her identity as a mother and practicing pediatrician: “I’m literally a busy mom… who plays peek-a-boo with my patients, watches Bluey with my kids… and shuttles them to dance, taekwondo, and football.”

In an emotional closing, Andrews urges voters to fight back against rising costs, healthcare erosion, and failing institutions: “Worrying won’t do anything, but stepping up to join me in this fight just might… Lindsey Graham is counting on all of us to stay quiet. And that means one thing: it’s time to get loud.”

Graham’s campaign swiftly responded. Campaign manager Mark Knoop stated that Democrats are targeting Graham because of his success enacting President Trump’s agenda. He defended Graham’s record, citing his support for tax cuts, border security, the Second Amendment, and conservative judicial appointments.

Speaking to The Hill, Andrews said Graham has “changed his position on nearly every issue” and “doesn’t stand for anything other than himself.” She noted that her earlier House campaign faced pandemic-related hurdles and described the current moment as fundamentally different, with critical threats to healthcare and the social safety net.

Andrews previously worked for 15 years at the Medical University of South Carolina. She now holds a part-time role at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., and teaches at George Washington University. She holds medical licenses in South Carolina and D.C., and said she plans to renew her South Carolina license ahead of its expiration next month.

Her candidacy adds new energy to the Democratic effort to flip a long-held Republican seat in a deeply conservative state. The campaign is expected to draw national attention as South Carolina becomes an early battleground in the 2026 Senate map.