SOUTH CAROLINA — Dr. Annie Andrews, a 45-year-old Democrat and pediatrician, has entered the race for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina. Andrews, who is based in Mount Pleasant, cited the re-election of President Donald Trump and the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services as the catalysts for her candidacy.

Andrews advanced to the general election after securing the Democratic nomination. She was running against incumbent Republican Senator Lindsey Graham until his death on July 11. PureSource News previously reported that Graham died at his home on Capitol Hill.

Andrews described the political developments that prompted her run as deeply concerning. "In the aftermath of Trump being re-elected, the day that I decided to consider this seriously was the day RFK Jr was nominated to lead HHS because, as a paediatrician, that’s the worst-case scenario for America’s public health system," she said.

Her concerns center on public health policy and vaccination rates. Andrews noted that medical professionals routinely ask patients if their immunizations are current. "Twenty years ago, when I started asking that question, the answer was almost universally yes," she said. She contrasted that history with the current climate, where she said misinformation has eroded trust in medical institutions.

"Now when I ask that question, I brace myself for the response because bad actors like RFK Jr, grifters and conspiracy theorists have been peddling in these anti-vaccine conspiracy theories for decades and it has seeped into the consciousness of many parents in America who now don’t know who they can trust for solid evidence-based medical information about decisions for their children’s health and it is deeply frustrating to watch as this has evolved," she said.

Public health data reflects the context of her concerns. Measles cases in the U.S. have hit a 35-year high, with more than 90% of reported infections occurring among the unvaccinated or those whose vaccination status is unknown, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. She said this trend is "pervasive across sociodemographic groups now." She added that citizens "cannot necessarily trust the health information that we are receiving from the federal government."

Andrews brings a background in clinical medicine to the campaign. She served as a clinical instructor at the Medical University of South Carolina until 2022, specializing in pediatric infectious diseases. She worked for 15 years at a children’s hospital in Charleston before stepping away from her practice following her 2022 election loss.

In 2022, Andrews ran for Congress in South Carolina's 1st District against Republican Representative Nancy Mace. She received 42% of the vote, losing by 14 points. After that defeat, she founded the political organization 'South Carolina Kids First' in 2023. The group focuses on childhood health, education, and poverty.

She said her time in medicine shaped her view of governance. "Over those years, I started to understand that the problems my patients and their families were facing were policy problems," she said. She argued that these issues required systemic solutions and elected officials who prioritized the well-being of families in the state. "These were systemic problems with systemic solutions and what we needed to do was start electing people who inherently care about South Carolina’s kids and families and care about solving those problems," she said.

Her platform addresses healthcare access and costs. Andrews advocates for defending Medicare and lowering prescription drug costs through federal negotiating power. She also proposes gradually introducing a public option to force private insurers into offering more competitive plans. This stance comes as President Trump has signed Medicaid budget cuts into law.

Gun violence prevention is another central pillar of her campaign. She stated that over 90% of Americans believe the U.S. needs universal background checks. "I will not stand on the sidelines as gun violence continues to be the leading cause of death for kids in South Carolina and kids all across this country," she said.

She also outlined proposals for political reform. She supports ending partisan gerrymandering and implementing term limits for members of Congress. She further proposed banning members of Congress from trading stocks or becoming lobbyists. Additionally, she called for overturning the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling.

"My opponent will change but my mission remains the same and that’s what I’m staying focused on," she said. She noted that the core challenges facing residents persisted regardless of electoral shifts. "The problems that South Carolinians are facing did not change over that weekend," she said. She described the current political climate as a "profound moment for the whole state of South Carolina."

"I’m deeply concerned about the direction this country is moving in," she said. Her campaign has recruited more than 2,000 volunteers. She has also received an endorsement from Her Bold Move, a national support network for women running for political office.

The race follows a high-profile Senate contest in the state in 2020. In that election, Democrat Jaime Harrison lost to Republican Lindsey Graham by 10 percentage points. Harrison raised more than $100 million for his 2020 Senate campaign.

Andrews’ entry into the Senate race introduces a candidate with a medical background into a contest shaped by recent federal health policy decisions. Her campaign focuses on the intersection of public health, legislative action, and political reform. The death of Senator Graham has altered the landscape of the race, opening the seat previously held by the long-serving Republican.

The campaign shows ongoing debates over vaccination policy, healthcare affordability, and gun violence prevention. Her platform targets systemic changes in both healthcare delivery and congressional conduct. Her prior experience in pediatric care and her establishment of 'South Carolina Kids First' provide the foundation for her policy positions on childhood welfare and public health infrastructure.