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← Signal: State & Power

Former South Carolina governors from opposite parties jointly endorse Democrat Annie Andrews for Senate

Confirmed1 source · Oct 26, 2026

Republican ex-governor David Beasley and Democratic ex-governor Jim Hodges have issued a rare joint endorsement for Democrat Annie Andrews's bid to unseat Trump-endorsed Republican Darline Graham in a race that has shifted in Democrats' direction.

Former South Carolina governors from opposite parties jointly endorse Democrat Annie Andrews for Senate
Image via The Guardian

What happened

Two former South Carolina governors—Republican David Beasley and Democrat Jim Hodges—released a joint endorsement video for Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Darline Graham (sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham). In the video, both former governors emphasized that they disagree on many issues but agree Andrews puts people ahead of politics. Beasley separately wrote an opinion piece for the Charleston Post and Courier criticizing the modern Republican Party under Donald Trump, calling its current state "heartbreaking" and describing its rhetoric as "toxic." Recent polling shows Graham maintains a lead, but the nonpartisan Cook Political Report has downgraded the state from "Likely Republican" to "Lean Republican."

Context

The endorsement reflects a pattern of cross-party defections in the 2022 midterms. Former Republican governors in Kansas (Bill Graves and Mike Hayden) endorsed Democrat Adam Hamilton against Republican Senator Roger Marshall. In Texas, the Democratic nominee James Talarico has received public endorsements from more than 20 Republican leaders and members of the Bush family over Republican Ken Paxton. Similar cross-party Republican endorsements of Democrats have also occurred in Georgia, Montana, Florida, Virginia, Illinois, and South Dakota. Beasley's op-ed frames these defections as a response to what he characterizes as a fundamental shift in the Republican Party's character and values under Trump. The South Carolina race appears unusually competitive for a traditionally reliably Republican state, suggesting potential vulnerability for the GOP in this cycle.