Trump served another crushing blow as Darline Graham loses seat he handpicked her for

Trump served another crushing blow as Darline Graham loses seat he handpicked her for The South Carolina seat was one Trump had worked extremely hard to keep in Republican hands - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in A Democrat will represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate for the first time in 28 years after Annie Andrews defeated Trump-backed Republican Darline Graham on Tuesday, according to AP News. Andrews, a pediatrician, claimed a seat in a state President Donald Trump carried by 18 percentage points two years ago. Her victory gives the party a pick-up as it seeks a net four-seat gain to break the Republicans' 53-47 majority. The seat was one Trump had worked extremely hard to keep in Republican hands. Following the death of his political ally, Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump backed Graham's sister, Darline, to succeed him. Trump encouraged her to seek a full six-year term, despite her inexperience and quiet profile. Graham captured the Republican nomination in a special runoff with Trump's endorsement, though she faced bipartisan criticism after admitting during the primary campaign that she's "not that informed on national security." When asked about the U.S. position on Taiwan and the South China Sea during the Republican runoff debate Tuesday evening, Graham declined to answer the question and instead admitted she was not well-read on the matter. “I’m just going to be honest here, I’m not that informed on national security, so,” Graham responded. “But I do support the military.” The race had previously been viewed as uncompetitive by both parties. The result highlights a wider rejection of Trump and his handling of the economy in the first two years of his presidency. Trump's approval ratings hit record lows amid voter discontent over the Iran war, elevated diesel prices, and living costs, putting once-dependable Republican territory into play. Money poured into the contest from both sides. Andrews out-fundraised Graham by $22 million. Outside Republican groups spent $27 million in an effort to retain the seat, while Democratic groups invested $24 million to win it. Trump held a rally in South Carolina last week where the president repeatedly used anti-trans slurs against Andrews. At least half a dozen times, Trump referred to Andrews, who is not transgender, as “Tra**ie Annie.” Graham also did not hold back during her speech, using an expletive to blast her Democratic rival. “I am a proud conservative Christian who will fight every single day for your family,” Graham said. “Or Democrat Annie Andrews, the most radical liberal candidate ever to run for office in the history of South Carolina. Like they say out in the country, she’s just plain old bat s*** crazy.” Andrews responded by asking Graham if it is crazy "to want cheaper gas and groceries." Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments