Primary Night 2026: Addresses for South Carolina Governor and U.S. Senator in both Primaries

Primary Night 2026

Addresses for South Carolina Governor and U.S. Senator in Both Primaries

A Grand Strand Politics Special Election Night Broadcast

Election night is one of the great traditions of American democracy, and in this special edition of Grand Strand Politics, we bring you the speeches, reactions, and key moments from South Carolina's 2026 Primary Election.

As voters across the state made their choices, candidates for Governor and the United States Senate gathered with supporters to celebrate victories, assess results, and chart their path forward toward the general election.

This special broadcast features a collection of primary night addresses from candidates on both sides of the political aisle, giving listeners the opportunity to hear directly from those who emerged victorious, those advancing to runoffs, and those concluding their campaigns.

Included are speeches and reactions from candidates competing for:

• Governor of South Carolina
 • United States Senate
 • Major statewide offices that helped shape the political landscape of the evening

This episode captures the emotions, optimism, disappointments, and surprises that make election night one of the most fascinating moments in politics.

Whether delivering victory speeches, thanking supporters, or laying out plans for the months ahead, the candidates provide a firsthand look at the issues and themes that will define the remainder of the 2026 campaign season.

At Grand Strand Politics, our goal is to preserve these moments as part of the historical record while giving listeners direct access to the voices shaping South Carolina's future.

One night.

Many candidates.

And the first major verdict from South Carolina voters in the 2026 election cycle.

Join us as we look back at Primary Night 2026 and hear the speeches that set the stage for the campaigns still to come.

Transcript

SPEAKER_19 0:00

Annie Andrews, congratulations, but she's not gonna beat me. But the primary was the nastiest I think I've experienced, and the voters soundly rejected that. And the people and I of South Carolina, we got a pretty good thing going. Sometimes I know I make you mad, sometimes I make me mad. But I'm always trying to do what I think is best for you in the country, and um I'm grateful. I'm going to bed tonight. Very thankful. Mr. President, when you endorsed me early on, it changed everything. You're the gold standard in the Republican world, the most consequential endorsement, I think, in the history of politics. And when you spoke, the people of South Carolina listened. And President Trump, I'm coming back to the Senate in twenty-seven. I'm going to win in November.

SPEAKER_06 1:36

That we just had for uh United States Senate, for the governor's race, the attorney general's race, several local races, it's the Department of Agriculture. Uh there was a lot going on uh in this election cycle. And we're gonna take a look at the big races in the Senate and for Governor and for Attorney General in both primaries, because the Democrats had a primary two. Uh and so uh they have got two nominees. They don't have any runoffs. Uh we, of course, on the Republican side uh have got runoffs in uh not in the U.S. Senate race, but in the governors and in the uh attorney general uh uh campaigns. And the in the Department of Agriculture. Uh I think in the in the Department of Agriculture race is gonna be uh Cody Simpson and Danny Ford the second. Uh in the uh attorney general's race is going to be uh Stephen Goldfinch, uh who is from uh Georgetown County, representing them in the Senate, and uh uh David Stumbo, and then the governor's race, Pamela Event and uh um Alan Wilson are going to be uh at each other. So I found a little clip that kind of gave you uh a look at both the governor's race and the attorney general's races and some of the local races, just so you get a feel for what did happen last Tuesday.

SPEAKER_15 2:57

Now, Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evet and Attorney General Alan Wilson will face off in that runoff for their party's nomination for governor. Elijah Skipper with our Sinclair sister station has the reaction from Evit's watch party in Greenville.

SPEAKER_03 3:23

Now, Avet and Attorney General Alan Wilson will now move on to the next round. The mood in this room has still been upbeat, with supporters cheering as Avette stayed near the top of the field and took the podium. Havet entered this race with the backing of President Trump and outgoing Governor Henry McMaster.

SPEAKER_18 3:44

I want to thank two of the greatest conservative leaders our nation has ever known. One, my friend and my mentor, Governor Henry McManster. And President Donald J. Trump.

SPEAKER_16 6:49

Norman's family, friends, and supporters gathered in Rock Hill as election results came in. The Congressman finished third behind Republican candidates Pamela Evitt and Alan Wilson, who will go into a runoff election in just two weeks. While his bid for governor ends here, Norman told supporters he's proud of the campaign he ran and the message he brought to voters. Norman took the stage to address the crowd, reflecting on his campaign while thanking his supporters and encouraged more young people to consider a career in public service. Despite falling short of a spot in the runoff, Norman was upbeat as he spoke to supporters. He said politics is never guaranteed, but he's proud of the effort his team put forth. Norman's chosen running mate, Adam Morgan, also addressed the crowd, praising him for his leadership and thanking Norman for the chance to campaign alongside him. Norman will continue serving as Congressman for South Carolina's fifth congressional district through January. Now, while his campaign for governor is coming to an end, Norman believes something positive will come out of the effort. Reporting in Rock Hill, Lexus Cooper, ABC 15 News.

SPEAKER_12 8:32

I'm now the second African American nominee in the history of South Carolina.

SPEAKER_13 9:10

Advancing from the Democratic primary and beating out Frederick Goodwin in a landslide, 90% to 10%, results will still need to be certified tomorrow.

SPEAKER_15 9:19

And Congressman Clyburn released a statement saying in part, quote, South Carolina has made tremendous progress, but a lot still needs to be done. The current administration in Washington, the current leadership of the Congress, and a majority of the Supreme Court seem to be hellbent on turning the clock back. Clyburn went on to say, if re-elected, I promise to fight against the forces of retroaggression, continue standing up for the values and interests that matter most to all South Carolinians, and continue our pursuit towards a more perfect union.

SPEAKER_13 9:49

Senator Lindsey Graham securing his spot on the November ballot as he seeks re-election to continue representing South Carolina in the U.S. Senate, with 100% of unofficial results, reporting Graham took 57% of the vote. The DNC released a statement congratulating Dr. Andrews on the win, saying in part, quote, In the Senate, Dr. Andrews will fight for safer communities, affordable health care, and more opportunities for South Carolina's working families. The DNC is ready to help organize and mobilize voters to ensure South Carolinians elect a leader who will stand up for them in the Senate.

SPEAKER_15 10:33

And unofficial results show incumbent Jason Luck has held on to his South Carolina House District 54 seat, which represents Darlington, Dillon, and Marboro counties. The winner takes office with no general election to follow. And current results show Carol Goodman will advance to face Republican Carla Schlusler and Libertarian David Herdand in the general election for South Carolina House District 61 to serve parts of Ory County.

SPEAKER_13 10:59

If results hold, Adrian Carter will face Republican Philip Lowe for the South Carolina House District 60 seat to represent parts of Florence County with 100% of reporting. Unofficial results show Carter with 58% of the vote. And for the district 63 seat in Florence, unofficial results show Corey Haskins will face incumbent Republican Jay Jordan. Roger Kirby appears poised to advance in the race for South Carolina House District 101 seat. He tells us he's feeling confident voters will continue supporting him. He says his focus is on targeting violent crime, shielding small businesses with economic protection, and remaining strict on constitutional rights. Stumbo's campaign has centered on a message of being tough on crime and immigration, upholding the Constitution and Christian family values.

SPEAKER_06 12:41

He came in third. And we'll start with him from Tuesday night.

SPEAKER_11 12:47

The odds on this working out may not work out, but you know, our message was we want to make South Carolina the best that it can be. We want to make South Carolina more conservative.

unknown 13:02

And we want to help South Carolina with the influx of everybody coming in. Just the shiny state on the hill. It looks like Pam and Alan will be the top two. I will probably come in third.

SPEAKER_11 13:19

This, you know, this isn't something that we counted on, but we worked. And what I feel good about, we did everything we could.

unknown 13:38

We really did.

SPEAKER_11 13:39

It was uh, you know, politics is not a sure thing, but uh I'm I'm happy that we were in we, because it's a group effort with each one of you and the family. We were in this fight. Uh we announced, this is like yesterday, July 27th, a year ago.

unknown 13:56

But um, you know, the fact that uh we're willing to take the risk, we're willing to put our name on the line, and I want to continue to encourage good people to get into public service.

SPEAKER_11 14:14

Now I want to introduce uh face that you will hear and a family that you will see uh years to come. Adam Morgan, I think, uh was the great pick that I had for Lieutenant Governor.

unknown 14:35

He has courage. And uh we would have been the we would, our team would have been the most important conservative team in the country.

SPEAKER_11 14:44

But so I want you to say a few words and put a face with a name because he's an exciting candidate that you'll hear a lot from in the future.

SPEAKER_04 15:00

I mentioned to some friends earlier that I don't think that I will ever have the honor to run on a ticket with somebody as honorable as Ralph Norman. Sometimes people put their hope in elections and hope in all sorts of different places. But I was thinking of different people that you see come and go in politics. And you know, most people spend whatever time they have and they leave. Nobody really notices. Nothing really changes. But this gentleman, every arena he has served in, he left fundamentally different. The State House, the Congress, it knew Al Garden was there, and it is now better.

unknown 15:58

That's what we're gonna say.

SPEAKER_04 16:02

When he announced for governor and his entire race, and even tonight, with the results, it is historic for the state of South Carolina. We have been desperate for strong conservative leadership for decades. He offered his name in. He absolutely would have been, and I will say still will be, the strong leader that South Carolina needs, because one thing I've learned about Ralph Norman, he weighs in, even if it's not his specific role. You know, I've said this on the campaign trail. Ralph Norman's been acting like the governor of South Carolina for a long time.

unknown 16:42

Yes!

SPEAKER_04 16:47

And I know he will continue doing that. I know I'll continue doing that. Why? Because we have a whole lot of people, and their future's on the line. And we will continue to fight. And we will take this historic run and his trail-blazing work, and we'll build on that. Because we have a state and a nation worth fighting for. And I know that every single one here and people watching, if you watched his race and his career, I know right now you are very, very proud of the service of Ralph Mohn.

unknown 17:49

I know it will.

SPEAKER_11 17:51

And for the young people, we've had a great group of young people that have worked uh with me on this campaign. It has been a joy, and you we will hear from young people that put their time, their time, and their talent into uh not just my election, but helping us the state be the best it can be.

unknown 18:10

That will continue.

SPEAKER_11 18:11

Uh we've got a great group of people that work with me in Congress, and uh we'll I will continue to be there until January 3rd of 2027. How about you uh police officers uh to bring your families up because language of the White House, and I'll continue to take young people for. So uh we'll continue, we'll continue to contribute, we'll continue to be uh to strive to be the best we can be, and uh something good will come out of it.

unknown 18:43

I firmly believe that. Thank each and every one of you. Y'all can stay as long as you will, and uh something could change, but it's not looking good, but uh, something could change. So I'm not conceding yet, I'm just saying let's let the numbers play out.

SPEAKER_11 18:59

And uh, but I just want to from the bottom of my heart thank each and every one for what you've done, uh, for me, our family, and ultimately for the state of South Carolina. God bless each other.

SPEAKER_00 19:12

We're also coming through our emails, waiting to see if anyone else is sharing the statement about different races, but we can tell you. Okay, so right now Alan Wilson is taking the stage. Let's go ahead and tap in for a live look and hear what he has to say right now.

SPEAKER_07 19:33

Ladies and gentlemen, I want to first start off by saying thank you to Mike Rickenball. I could not have chosen a better running mate to be my partner in this journey. Mike, thank you. I want to tell all of you something. When I was thinking about who I was gonna pick to be my running mate this past fall, I wanted someone who would be an inspirational leader, someone who was aspirational, someone who would inspire people and bring people together, someone who would push me beyond my limits to help me be the best candidate and the best governor I could be. And I found that person, and I decided to make her husband my running mate. That's Teresa and Mario Kidd. Mike, every single day, every single day that I have been on this campaign trail with you, we have talked every night. You did my first call in the morning, my last call at night. You have ratified and reaffirmed that I have great judgment. Thank you, brother. I love you, and you're gonna be an amazing lieutenant governor. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. I also want to start off by thanking my wife, Jennifer. If it wasn't for her support, I could not do this. And my children, Michael and Anna Grace, they're really the reason. They're the jobs for me. I love you, kids. I'm so proud of you. The campaign team that we assembled, our staff, if I start naming people, I'm gonna leave someone out. But I'm looking around and I'm seeing you. I want to thank you all. Thank you all for what you've done. I'm looking over here and I'm seeing my mother. My mother wants to. I'm seeing my brothers, I see cousins standing at an extended family. Guys, I feel so small right now with so many of you just looking at me. My friends, my family, my supporters, the campaign team that's been out there knocking on thousands of doors, making tens of thousands of phone calls, sending out letters on postcards, calling people, my social media warriors, my quick reaction force, my veterans who are out there fighting for me. Thank you. Because I did not win this, uh, I did not get a slot and win a slot to the runoff. We did. It was you that got us there. I also want to thank those who invested. Just their time, their energy, their talents, but their money. These things are expensive. And the financial supporters out there, I'll be calling you first thing in the morning. But you made it possible. You put the gas in the car for us to take our mission, our vision for the state of South Carolina. That change is coming. The status quo will happen no more. And I want to thank you who supported me financially by allowing us to get this message out to the people of South Carolina. I also want to thank God. Many of you have heard my faith journey. And it's by God's providence that I'm here tonight. Earlier today, I got on, I was got up this morning and I prayed to God because I didn't know what the results would be today. I believed them. I believed we would be here tonight. But I prayed to God not to win this race, but to give me the grace to accept whatever his will was. And if his will was for me not to be here tonight, going into this next phase, this next chapter, then I needed the grace to accept that. And if it was his will for me to wake up in the morning and begin the next two-week campaign, to give me the courage and the fortitude to rise to the task he has laid before me. And I give all the glory to God and my Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you so much. I want to thank the voters, the supporters out there, because this is a job interview. The office of governor does not belong to anybody. It does not belong to Alan Wilson. It does not belong to its current occupant. It belongs to you, the people of South Carolina. I've been traveling the state asking you to hire me to do this job. This is not something you get coronated for. This is not something you can inherit. Not everybody believes that. You have to fight for it. You have to earn the votes. And to those of you out there who voted for me, thank you. I appreciate you. You put us in this position to win this race in two weeks. I want to thank another group of people. There's some people who offered their names up. They were my competitors. They were opponents. They were not my enemies. Sometimes it may have felt that way on social media on the base stages when we were getting chippy with each other. But the reality is, the other people who ran for this race, ran for this job, they love this state too. They offered themselves because they thought they were the best alternative to be able to lead it forward. Some of them are not moving to the next level. I want to start by thanking Josh Kimbrell, a guy who was able to articulate a message. And he's done a great job of doing that, a leader in the Senate who endorsed me last week. Josh, I appreciate your endorsement. I want to thank Nancy Mace. I learned tonight. She called me tonight and she announced that she was going to endorse me. And I want to thank Nancy for that. Nancy and I had a long conversation over the last couple of weeks. And while things got really tough there early in the early days, we came to an understanding. We buried our hatchet. We got past our differences, which is what you have to do as a leader in government. When you have a difference with somebody, and you feel people surprised about it. Nancy Mace and I were able to do that. So, Nancy, I want to thank you for reaching out to me tonight. I want to thank you for your endorsement. I want to thank Ralph Norman, and I want to thank Ron Reddy because they each, like Nancy, brought unique aspects to this race. They brought a unique way of campaigning. It was different than mine. Okay? But it was unique to them, and they actually made me a better candidate. They made me appreciate this process so much more because it made me fight harder and work harder and appreciate it more. So thank you to them. Now they're not moving forward in this race, but this is what I want to say to their supporters. To the supporters, the people out there who voted today for Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman, and Rob Reddy. Three people who represented something to you that inspired and sparked something in you. To the people who supported Nancy Mace because she was the maverick who shook things up. You never knew what she was going to do or say, and you love that about her. There's a home for you in the Wilson campaign. To the Ralph Norman supporters out there who loved that Ralph Norman was a conservative juggernaut who challenged the establishment and the status quo. There is a home for you here. To those of you who supported Rom Reddy, the successful businessman, the plain spoken outsider who brought a message of reform and something different. There is a home for you here in the list of campaigns. I will fight for you. And I invite all of you who I wasn't your second choice coming into tonight. Or I wasn't your first choice. I'm willing to be your second choice tomorrow morning. Give us the chance to fight for you, to fight for the ideals that you found so valuable in those other candidates. Let me be that standard bearer for you. I will carry that for you in the next two weeks. Ladies and gentlemen, as your ex-governor, Mike and I have talked about this. Our number one goal in everything that we do, our North Star, our true North, if you will, will be to make living in South Carolina more affordable for your families. To make our economy more profitable for your businesses, and to make our government more accountable to you. I'm a 30-year combat veteran and a criminal prosecutor. I have fought on the courtrooms of this country for our constitutional rights to put violent criminals behind prison, and I have fought on the battlefields of Iraq to defend and protect our constitution and our way of life. I will bring that same courage, that same conviction, that same passion, that same desire to fight for you to the office of the governor if you will give me the chance. Hire me to be your next governor. I will be a fighter for you. We will fight to eliminate the income tax, reduce your property taxes, propose race and abuse from government, promote the kids' first education agenda, fix our crumbling roads and bridges, lower utility rates by putting more energy into South Carolina and having smart growth that respects the character of the communities that we live in. No more boondoggled deals that are cramming things down your throat. We're going to have a thoughtful government. We're not going to have the status quo anymore. Ladies and gentlemen, to those of you watching at home tonight, I am asking for your vote in two weeks. Two weeks is a very short turnaround. We will win this race. There is energy, there is momentum, and we are going to bring the heat. This is the job interview. I'm asking you to hire me to be your next governor. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I need you to get to work. We got to get home, get a good night's sleep, because it's going to be a long two weeks. Two weeks from tonight. We're going to be celebrating the victory and the pathway to the next governor of South Carolina. That is me, Alan Wilson.

SPEAKER_10 29:58

As he uh declares victory, so to say, he's going to finish either first or second here and be in the Republican runoff for governor in two weeks against Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evan. Uh let's just get reaction from our panel here. Uh Bob, what are your thoughts on what you heard Alan Wilson say just now?

SPEAKER_09 30:17

I think that was an excellent speech because you see what he did in there. We've already known that uh Nancy Mace has endorsed him, and he appealed to all the voters. So he complimented all the people that he was running against, and he said appealed to those voters and said, You have a home here. You forced me to be a better candidate. If I wasn't your first choice tonight in two weeks, I need you. So I think I was well prepared, well done.

SPEAKER_05 30:44

John absolutely, and again, he's he's showing exactly the right. This isn't his first runoff. He's done this before and he understands that he has to be a coalition builder right now. He has to unify, he has to reach out to those that didn't pick him first. All those things get put into the past and start building a network there. Uh, I think it's he's showing a lead beyond reaching out um to the voters that have are listening. He's also showing a lead on reaching out to the other candidates in the race. Right. Having Josh Campbell and Nancy Mace, the bottom two candidates already endorsing. We'll see where Ron Reddy and um Ralph Norman go before this runoff is over. He also highlighted uh affordability, which has been a key issue um on both sides of uh the party. That many people are struggling today. And uh General Wilson is or Alan Wilson is the only candidate that has made the gas tax and temporarily suspending the gas tax to make life easier um for those that are struggling to make ends meet a uh priority and a centerpiece of his campaign.

SPEAKER_10 31:54

Any surprises from you, Mr. Felder?

SPEAKER_01 31:57

Not really. I hear announces running mate, which we've known about for some time now, anyway. That certainly's gonna help him in some communities. So um but his response here was very good, I thought. Well prepared uh to to some of the issues that we're concerned about. So and it looks like he's gonna well speak of Mans' support, and we'll see what happens again.

SPEAKER_05 32:20

Which I you know, the running mate thing is also something that you saw very striking there. Again, he's the only the only candidate out of all five that picked a running mate prior to this point. And you saw at the open there just how close of a relationship seems to have formed between him and Senator Reckenbaugh. A car dealership or a car sale. Well, he owns car dealerships in Florence, um, and a family man with a beautiful story about being adopted. And you can see a the beginnings of someone or a a pair that will work as a team governor and lieutenant governor going forward.

SPEAKER_10 33:00

And you know, we mentioned Nancy Mace earlier and Pamela Abbott. Would Pamela Abbott pick up the phone and say, Hey Nancy, you want to be my running mate? But that's not gonna happen now because uh just a short while ago, Nancy Mace said this at her rally this evening. Take a listen. That uh was just about 35, 40 minutes ago, Nancy Mace, uh, who will soon be the former first district congresswoman backing Alan Wilson in this primary. All right, so here here's my thing. If it stays Abbott Wilson, 29, 26 percent back and forth, somewhere around the upper 20s for both candidates, mid to upper 20s, who's got the advantage in two weeks, Bob?

SPEAKER_09 33:45

I think that Wilson comes out tonight with with that speech because we haven't heard from Evan yet. And you can see that he's kind of taken that first opportunity there to reach out to people and just picking up Mason endorsing right away on the uh the uh tail of getting Kimbrell the other day. It looks like the other candidates are sort of gravitating towards certainly we have to wait for the other two. But um I would say that right now, handicapping it again, very close, but I think that that Wilson has pulled ahead for the runoff.

SPEAKER_18 34:55

Oh my gosh. Well, everybody, what a night and what a win! I want to start by thanking each and every one of you here and the countless supporters throughout the state who made this night possible. I can't say how much I love you, how much you mean to me. I want to first thank my family. My husband, David, my mom, Jenny, my children, Amanda, Joseph, Jackson, and Simon. And you know, one person I wish could be here tonight is my dad. But I know he's looking down from heaven, and he is just so proud. There will never be enough words to express the gratitude I have for all of their love and support. And lastly, I wanted to thank two of the greatest conservative leaders our nation has ever known. One, my friend and my mentor, Governor Henry McManson. And President Donald J. Trump. Mr. President, thank you for your support. And I'm going to reiterate to all of you what he just said to me on the phone a moment ago. He says, we are going to fight and we are going to win this runoff big. Guys, you're gonna make me cry. He said he is going to help us deliver the American first agenda right here in South Carolina. When we started this race almost a year ago, we were at 2% in our first poll. Two. We've come a long way. And tonight we punched a ticket to this runoff. South Carolina, you sent a message tonight. You spoke clearly and you said, we want a business leader, an entrepreneur, somebody who has created jobs, somebody just like Donald Trump, who's gonna bring the private sector experience to government. In two weeks, we're gonna win this runoff election, but that is just the beginning. We're gonna eliminate income tax. It's your money, it belongs in your pockets, not in Colombia. We're going to slash property taxes because no South Carolinian should ever be taxed out of their home. We're going to pass full universal school choice to give South Carolina's next generation the best education possible. And we're going to fix our roads. We will stop funding woke institutions and we will end tenure once and for all. Get rid of radical professors who are trying to indoctrinate our kids. And we and we are going to stand up for conservative voices and conservative values. I have never, I will never back down to the woke mob. Over these next two weeks, we're going to highlight a very clear contrast between myself and a career politician, Alan Wilson. If you want a finger in the win career politician who won't take a stand and who does the political thing and not the right thing, then you should excitedly vote for Alan Wilson. If you want someone who more than doubled his taxpayer-funded salary while you struggle to make ends meet, then Alan Wilson might be the guy for you. And if you want someone who has bankrolled his radical liberal corporates that spew DEI, then Alan Wilson is your guy. But if you want a business leader, a CEO, and someone who has spent their career outside of politics, I'm asking for your vote. If you want a Trump-endorsed, steel spine conservative, then join our team. And if you want to put a stake in the woke DEI mob that tries to cancel conservatives every chance they get, then I'm your candidate. Because this is a simple choice. A choice between a career politician with no business experience who lines their pockets with your tax dollars, or a Trump-endorsed businesswoman and conservative who's going to take the fight to the radical left for you, the people of South Carolina. The choice is clear, my friends, and in two weeks, we're going to start writing the next chapter in South Carolina's historic story. South Carolina, thank you. God bless you. Now let's go in this thing again.

SPEAKER_06 41:31

Really surprise to me because I I I I kind of thought Billy Webster had a chance. But uh this Jeremiah Johnson has won. And uh he won pretty convincingly, and he spoke. Uh and I thought we'd listen in on his rally after winning the gubernatorial uh democratic primary.

SPEAKER_12 41:51

What I tell you. I am at a loss for words this evening. Oh my goodness. I need to thank some people first. Like I said, I need to thank my beautiful wife. Y'all's the next first lady, y'all. I want to thank, I want to thank my children for being here, my children down front here. I need to thank all of my family members that are here right now. My sister flew in from Minnesota, my niece flew in to be a part of this here, all of my in-laws who've adopted me to make me a cousin, a nephew, a brother, my family members, all of my friends, my friends, my supporters. Y'all, there is, I cannot even express to you how thankful I am for having all of you standing with me through all of this. It has been a grueling year and some change. Oh my God. This is this is a moment right now that is going to go down in history. We made history. History's been made. And I want to thank my pastor who's in here, Pastor Sammy Wade, who's over here. There's a reason why I chose this facility this evening. Because of back in 2015, I held my very first after I retired from basketball, I held my very first event when I created my nonprofit organization. And I remember trying to get People together so I can teach them about second opportunities and things. And I held my first event in that room right there. And it was raining really bad that day. And I remember I catered a bunch of food, and only about three people showed up. And I remember that moment. And then the next year after that, I was in that room over there, and that's where I advocated for a young man who had been stopped three times in three days by the police. And y'all have heard me tell this story before. And it happened in that room right there. And that's when I met State Representative Joe Neal. And that's the individual who taught me about politics. He's the one who taught me about what it meant to be a servant leader. How to show up for people in your communities. And I will never forget that moment. I will never forget what that meant for me for whatever reason.

SPEAKER_06 44:49

The coverage that we had cut out before Mr. Johnson was finished. But he is uh sailing into uh the general election, he did not have end up in a runoff. And we have a three-way uh two-way runoff in the governor's race. We also have a runoff in the attorney general's race. Uh and uh and then in the U.S. Senate uh that one ended pretty convincingly for Lindsey Graham and also for Annie Andrews. And I thought, well, let's listen to Annie Andrews. I don't know as much about her. I know she's a doctor, and she uh is running in had run for Congress in the first district uh last time against uh Nancy Mace. Uh and so here is her uh speech, and she's gonna talk a little bit uh too. I'm gonna have a little bit of an interview with her before we turn over to Lindsey Graham. But here's Annie Andrews, the winner of the Democratic uh primary in South Carolina for the U.S. Senate.

SPEAKER_17 45:45

I want to thank my family who have been standing beside me over the past 12 months as we built this people-powered movement to flip South Carolina blue. And I want to send a message to everyone out there, whether you're a Democrat who's been supporting me for a year, someone who just decided today to vote for me, whether you're a Republican who's wondering what happened to your own party, or you're an independent, there's a place for you here in this campaign. And I cannot wait to work together with you to deliver results and to put South Carolina first. Now, a reporter recently asked Lindsey Graham about me. And what he said was, she seems like a nice, attractive lady with a couple of kids, but we don't know what she believes in. Number one, thank you for the compliment, Senator Graham. Number two, I have three kids actually. And number three, here's what I believe in. I believe that healthcare is a human right. I believe that we need to stop the impending Medicaid budget cuts. I believe we need to protect Medicare and Social Security. I believe we need to fully fund the CDC and the NIH. And I believe we need to impeach and remove RFK Jr. I believe we need to address America's cost of living emergency. I believe we need to raise the federal minimum wage. I believe we need to pass an expanded permanent child tax credit, and I believe we need to stop the on-again, off-again, unconstitutional tariffs. I believe we need to bring up the corruption that is degrading American democracy. I believe we need to end partisan gerrymandering. I believe we need to pass term limits. I believe we need to ban members of Congress from trading stock and from becoming lobbyists, and I believe we need to get dark money out of politics once and for all by ending Citizens United. I believe that instead of starting endless, unnecessary billion-dollar-a-day wars, we need to support South Carolina's active duty service members, military families, and veterans. And if Lindsey Graham thinks he's gonna come back here to South Carolina and ask us to send our sons and daughters to fight in his war, he's gonna have to go through me. I believe we need to restore a woman's right to make health care decisions about her own bottom. And I believe that you couldn't have the pop quiz about women's reproductive anatomy, it shouldn't have anything to do with finding laws about what a woman does with her bombing. I believe we need to fully fund our public education system. I believe we need to take bold action to address climate change. And finally, I believe that as long as gun violence remains the leading cause of death for children in the state, we need to wake up every day and fight like hell to pass the common sense gun laws. And we can do all of that together. A lot of you ask me, Annie, how are you doing this? How are you taking on Lindsey Graham? And I will tell you that I feel 100% fearless. And the reason I am fearless is because I am in this fight for my three children. So any parents or grandparents out there understand that I mean it literally when I say I would walk through fire for my three children. And if I can walk through fire for my three children, I can certainly take on Lindsey Graham for my three children. Tonight we need to celebrate, and tomorrow we need to wake up and organize and mobilize and lay everything out there because this is the most important election cycle of our lifetime. And if we do everything we can to win in November, in less than five months from now, you can be sitting on your couch watching the election returns come in. And when they say they're about to call that Senate race in South Carolina, and you look up at the TV, you're gonna see, instead of Lindsey Graham's face, my pretty face. I'm just really excited to be here. I'm excited about the future for South Carolina. I'm excited to have such a unifying message for South Carolina tonight. Whether you're a Democrat, a Republican, or an independent, there's a place for you in this campaign. South Carolina's ready for change. We're ready to move beyond the senator we've had for nearly a quarter of a century. I'm a pediatrician and a mom, and I'm laser focused on delivering results for South Carolinians, and I'm just so excited to be here to celebrate tonight and then get focused on November.

SPEAKER_02 50:18

And you've been laser focused on a sharp critique against Lindsey Graham since you launched your campaign. Why was that so important to you right from the start?

SPEAKER_17 50:25

To me, Lindsey Graham is really a poster child for what's wrong with career politicians. You know, he doesn't stand for anything other than what he thinks will help him get re-elected. He doesn't wake up every day and fight for South Carolinians, and we deserve so much better. And the reason I got involved in politics is because I saw the impact of his failed policies on my patients and their families. My patients and their families deserve better. Everyone in South Carolina deserves better. That's why I'm just so proud to fearlessly take on this fight against Lindsey Graham.

SPEAKER_02 50:52

You are not a politician by trade. I know you've run before, but why did it feel like the right time to get back into the political arena for you?

SPEAKER_17 50:58

I mean, to be honest, I decided to get in this race on the day RFK Jr. was nominated to lead HHS because what the harm he has done to America's healthcare system and public health infrastructure will take pediatricians like me decades to recover from. I understand the urgency of this moment for my children and every child in South Carolina. It would have been more convenient for me to wait a few more election cycles to get back into the political game or to just stay a pediatrician. But this moment is so urgent. Everybody has to do everything we can to fight for the South Carolina that every single one of us needs and deserves.

SPEAKER_02 51:27

As you start to ramp up your campaign for November, what do you want voters on the trail to know about you and your campaign?

SPEAKER_17 51:34

I'm a mom and a pediatrician first and second. I'm not a career politician. I don't want to be a career politician. I'm gonna go up to Washington, DC, and solve problems, and to do that, I'll work with whoever wants to work with me to help deliver results for South Carolinians. You know, Lindsay Ram's had, as I said, nearly a quarter of a century. South Carolina continues to be on the bottom of every list we want to be on the top of, and the top of every list we want to be on the bottom of, and we deserve better. We need a healthcare system that isn't so broken and fragmented. We need investment in our public education system, we need to fix our roads and bridges, and we need someone who's willing to address our cost of living emergency, and those are the things I'll focus on.

SPEAKER_02 52:07

Last question for you. South Carolina has not had a Democratic senator in 20 years. Why do you think it should be you and can be you?

SPEAKER_17 52:13

It absolutely can be me. We just heard from my next tenant mom, who is the left Democrat to win statewide. I'm so proud to have her in my corner. 2026 is not 2020, and this is a totally different political era. We've seen how Donald Trump and the administration has overplayed their hands. They ran on lowering prices and never starting forever wars. And what they have done is start a new forever war and done nothing about lowering prices. People understand they were sold a lie. And if they're looking for something different, they have a home in my campaign. And I know that I am the Democrat that can flip South Carolina blue. But more importantly than blue or red, I will be a senator that everyone can trust and that will fight for every single person in this beautiful state.

SPEAKER_06 52:52

And with that, we'll get into the big winner of the night in South Carolina, and that was Senator Lindsey Graham. Uh, you know, for the last few months online, you've seen people saying, Oh, after 23 years, he's gonna lose his seat, and uh, and then this Mark Lynch guy, and I'm not one to gloat very much, but I have to say it was one of the nastiest campaigns I've ever seen. And to hear his people cry foul about uh his drug and alcohol record coming up uh because it was so old, and and him running ads in prime time, calling Senator Graham lady G, and that I had to explain to a seven-year-old what that meant, it's disgusting. And Martin Lynch had no business at all being a candidate, in my opinion, running those kind of ads, and I don't mind saying that. It was disgusting, it was disgraceful. And I'm so glad that our state re-elected or or the the primary elected and appoint uh you know, Lindsey Graham. I don't mind a campaign, uh even an ugly one on issues, but uh it was just obscene what uh Mr. Lynch was trying to do, and I don't have any sympathy with him at all. He deserved everything he got. And that's just a little editorializing on my part uh from Grant Stramp politics about what we saw in this primary. It was disgusting. But the big winner of the night was Lindsey Graham, uh, and uh he heads into the general election in a very strong position uh against Annie Andrews, and uh he he spoke to his crowd uh and it was a a pretty good speech about winning that this night, and uh here we go. Let's go in and take a listen to Senator Lindsey Graham as he wins his uh his party's nomination for the fifth time for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina.

SPEAKER_19 54:30

Well, uh I want to start with a bunch of thank yous. I want to thank the big guy, uh God. Trump comes later. Mr. President, you're not far behind God, but we're gonna start with him. Uh I want to thank my sister, Darlene, for always standing up for her older brother and all of my family friends, and Mark and the campaign team. This is one of the best-run campaigns in the history of the state of South Carolina. All of you should be proud. I certainly am. So, what I'm most proud of is that South Carolina validated what I've been doing for our state, who I am and what I believe and what I stand for. But most importantly, South Carolina rejected garbage in the form of Mark Lynch. So, what did we learn tonight? If you uh if you throw garbage at the people of South Carolina, they will kick you in the ass. So I have a lot to be grateful for. Um there may be a lot of self-made people in the world, but I am not one of them. I want to start with President Donald J. Trump. I just talked to him, so I know he's watching. Mr. President, when you endorsed me early on, it changed everything. Uh you're the gold standard in the Republican world. The most consequential endorsement, I think, in the history of politics. And when you spoke, the people of South Carolina listened. And President Trump, I'm coming back to the Senate in 27. I'm going to win in November, and I'm going to help you change this world and change this country. So I just bought a new driver. Beware. I may get better. Governor McMaster, Tim Scott. Uh they co-chaired my campaign. Thank you to all of them that helped me. Uh, Tim is a dear friend. Uh Henry, thank you so much. Uh Joe Wilson, the energizer bunny of politics. Uh, Congressman Timmons, Russell Fry down in Orie County. The one thing I can tell you about Lindsay Graham in Ori County, I like it. I live as far away from Orie County, which is Myrtle Beach, for people don't know what I'm talking about. And I just clean up down there and I'm forever grateful. Pro-life groups, the national right to life, Tea Party Express. I got a lot of people to be grateful for, but there's a guy that I want to recognize, Brandon Guffey. Where's Brandon? So, in case you're listening at home, Brandon's a State House representative uh up from Rock Hill, and his son uh committed suicide because he got hooked up to a very bad website on social media, and it drove that young man to take his life. Gavin. And I promise you, Brandon, that we're not gonna give up until you and every other American that's been harmed by social media can sue them in court. We're gonna open up the courthouse to victims of social media. That's the one thing I want to do when I go back. So again, I am grateful this was a decisive win. It's the most challenged I've ever been in terms of money. The most challenged I've ever been in terms of the garbage thrown at me. And the reason I'm standing here tonight as a winner is because people around me made me a winner. And I'm here to tell you that I'm gonna take the opportunity to represent this state in November, and we're not gonna give this seat over to a Democrat. Annie Andrews, congratulations tonight. She's a physician in Charleston, she's the Democratic nominee, and enjoy tonight because it's gonna go downhill for you after tonight. If you're running as Democrat, one, admit you're a Democrat. And I want you to explain to the people, uh the voters in South Carolina, why you're against the Safe America? Why are you against voter ID? Why are you against only citizens being able to vote? Why do you oppose boys playing girls' sports? Why do you support the idea that a minor can transition their sex changing the life forever? Why would you vote against Kavanaugh? Why did you vote for a bike? What the hell is going on with that? So we're gonna have a spirited contest. It's gonna be respectful, but I'm gonna call you out for being the most liberal person ever nominated by the Democratic Party in the history of South Carolina to run for the United States Senate. And you're not gonna get away with dodging questions. You're gonna answer questions that are relevant to who we are as the people of South Carolina and matter to them when it comes time for their new senator to vote in 2027. So I have a lot to be thankful for, I have a lot to be grateful for, I have a lot of people help me get here tonight, and the only way I know to pay you back is to just keep what I have, keep doing what I've been doing. And what is that? Helping President Trump put as many conservative judges on the court as we can. I'll be chairman of the Judiciary Committee if I win and we hold a Senate. So I promise everybody in America cares about conservative judges, Donald Trump and Lindsey Graham are gonna deliver for you in 27 and 28 big time. I'm gonna go back and I'm gonna make sure the military has what they need to win the wars that we can't afford to lose. I'm gonna have their back because they have our back. I'm gonna try to find a way to keep taxes low, not high. And when it comes to President Trump, Mr. President, I'm gonna be your strongest ally in the United States Senate. I'm gonna be the Trump guy in the United States Senate helping the Trump agenda for your last two years. You're in course, my friend, to be one of the most consequential presidents in American history. What do we prove tonight that South Carolina is Trump country, not massey country? We prove tonight that nobody gives a damn what Marjorie Taylor Green thinks about who to vote for in South Carolina. What do we want in South Carolina? We want conservatism with a smile. We want people who can deliver, that can work across the aisle when it makes sense, but never lose sight of what politics is all about. It's about making people's lives better. It's about fighting when you have to fight Kavanaugh. It's about finding common ground when you need to. It's about remembering what makes us a great country. Why is South Carolina the fastest growing state in the nation? I'm gonna give you a hint. There's no better place to raise a family than South Carolina. Wokeness is not allowed here. This is a place of tradition and respect and tolerance, but not wokeness. This is a place you can start a business, and the people that work for you will work hard, and they expect and deserve a good day's pay for their hard work. This is a place where you can raise your family, start a business, and enjoy life. To those who've never been to South Carolina, you're welcome to come. God has blessed us with scenery and beauty unmatched anywhere in the world. I'm a proud Republican, but we're gonna make sure that the God's blessing to South Carolina, that we protect our environment. That we're gonna keep and be good stewards of God's creation in our state. So to the American people, my state, our state, has got a lot going for us. We're proud of who we are. We've had problems in the past, and we're striving to be better every day. My great friend Tim Scott comes from a lineage of slavery. And today is a United States senator from the great state of South Carolina. I have never been more proud of my state than I am right now. I love this place called South Carolina. And I am going to pay you back in South Carolina for being the best I know Lindsey Graham can be for you. And to the American people. South Carolina is the fastest growing state for very good reasons. And when I go back to the Senate, we're gonna keep it that way. God bless you all. God bless America. God bless the voters in South Carolina. I stand before you a very humble, grateful, soon-to-be fifth-term senator for the state of South Carolina. If I can tie strong, I got 30 more years left. I don't see that happening, but I'm gonna enjoy tonight as a gift from God and the people of South Carolina. I'm going to bed tonight, the most grateful person on the planet. I have so much to be grateful for. I'm gonna say a prayer before I go to bed tonight, and I'm gonna wake up tomorrow determined to win this race. God bless you all.

SPEAKER_06 1:04:32

So the stage is set for the remainder of the campaign, the runoff to come, and the races for governor, for attorney general, for department of agriculture secretary. Uh, and uh it should be an interesting two weeks. We'll be here to cover it for you in season three of Grand Strand Politics. I'm Ryan Wallace. Thanks for joining us. Until next time. So long for now.