Democrat Annie Andrews, Republican Sen. Darline Graham and Libertarian Kasie Whitener meet Sunday night for a televised South Carolina Senate debate as a race once expected to be safely Republican has become increasingly competitive.
Graham still leads in recent polling, but the margin has narrowed considerably. The current RealClearPolling average has Graham ahead of Andrews 45.7% to 43.3%, while the two most recent surveys each showed only a one-point Republican advantage.
South Carolina U.S. Senate Debate
Date: Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026
Candidates: Annie Andrews (D), Darline Graham (R) and Kasie Whitener (L)
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: SCETV studios, Columbia, South Carolina
Moderators: Gavin Jackson and Maayan Schechter
Broadcast: SCETV television and radio statewide
Live Stream: Watch Below
Watch Live – South Carolina Senate Debate
The South Carolina Senate debate begins at 7 p.m. ET. Watch the full event live below.
Alternate Stream Link: SCETV
SCETV will host the debate from its Columbia studios, with Gavin Jackson and Statehouse reporter Maayan Schechter moderating. The candidates will each receive a one-minute opening statement, followed by 60-second responses and 30-second rebuttals. SCETV says the candidates will not receive topics or questions in advance.
The debate comes at an unexpectedly important moment in the race. Graham was appointed earlier this year after the death of her brother, longtime Sen. Lindsey Graham, and is now seeking a full term. Andrews, a pediatrician and former congressional candidate, has steadily narrowed what initially looked like a much safer Republican advantage.
The current RealClearPolling average has Graham leading Andrews 45.7% to 43.3%. InsiderAdvantage and Trafalgar each recently found Graham ahead by only one point, while Rasmussen had her ahead by five.
Those numbers are notable in a state Donald Trump carried by 17.8 points in 2024. Republicans have not lost a statewide election in South Carolina since 2006, but the Senate Leadership Fund recently announced a $5 million investment in the race as a precaution while Republicans defend an expanding map of competitive seats.
Andrews has also faced increasingly aggressive Republican attacks in recent days, particularly over transgender issues. She responded this week with an ad saying she does not support biological men competing in women’s sports and does not support gender surgeries for minors. Her past record says otherwise: Andrews opposed South Carolina’s 2022 law banning biological males from female school sports and has supported non-surgical gender-affirming care for minors, including puberty blockers and hormones, while consistently saying she opposes surgeries for minors.
Whitener, the Libertarian nominee, adds another element to the debate. Her presence gives voters a third choice on stage and could matter in a race where the two major-party candidates are separated by only a few points in recent polling.
The debate will air statewide on SCETV television and radio and stream through SCETV’s website, Facebook page, YouTube channel, and SCETV and PBS apps.
Watch the South Carolina Senate debate live in the player above beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Follow the latest numbers on our 2026 Senate polls page and visit our 2026 Senate elections guide for more races around the country.