NYT/Siena Poll Finds South Carolina Senate Race Between Graham and Andrews Tied

Sen. Darline Graham, the South Carolina Republican, and Democratic nominee Annie Andrews are roughly tied at 48 percent each among likely voters in the state's Senate race, according to a New York Times/Siena University poll released Wednesday, less than a week before Election Day. The poll, conducted last week, put Graham ahead by under 1 percentage point. Graham was appointed in July after the sudden death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, then ran for a full term at President Donald Trump's urging and won a primary over Rep. Ralph Norman. Andrews leads among independents, 57 percent to 37 percent, and draws 7 percent of Republican voters. A majority said Andrews would handle the economy better, she held a narrow edge on cost of living, and she led 46 percent to 44 percent on foreign wars. The poll also showed Republicans ahead in the Florida Senate race and Democrats ahead in Minnesota.

On the left, The New York Times calls South Carolina a tossup in a heavily Republican state and says Graham is struggling to match her late brother's success. It places the race alongside Florida and Minnesota. NPR does not cover South Carolina; it describes Minnesota as a battleground where Trump-Democrat clashes over immigration and fraud accusations are shaping the Senate race. The right-leaning Washington Examiner calls the contest neck-and-neck and says the poll points to vulnerabilities for Graham. It adds her appointment, Trump's urging and the Norman primary, and details the numbers on independents, Republican crossovers and issues, noting that Andrews's support rests on enthusiasm while Graham's rests on party affiliation. Both sides agree the race is tight; they differ in that the left stresses the national map and Graham's struggles, while the right stresses Andrews's strengths. The Hill's coverage largely matches the others, calling the race deadlocked at 48 percent.