Republican Sen. Darline Graham is scheduled to debate Democratic challenger Dr. Annie Andrews and Libertarian candidate Kasie Whitener on Sunday, Oct. 11. The event, hosted by South Carolina ETV (SCETV) and Public Radio, will take place at 7 p.m. at the SCETV studios in Columbia.
The U.S. Senate seat was vacated in July following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham. Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham, the late senator's sister, to serve the remainder of the term through January. The November general election will determine who serves the next full six-year term.
The debate will be moderated by Gavin Jackson, host of "This Week in South Carolina," and SCETV Statehouse reporter Maayan Schechter. Candidates will not receive topics or questions in advance and are prohibited from bringing notes, props, or campaign materials, though they will be provided a pad and pen. According to SCETV, each participant will have one minute for an opening statement, 60 seconds to answer questions, and 30 seconds for rebuttals. A fourth candidate, Mark Hackett of the Constitution Party, is not scheduled to participate.
This election will decide who represents South Carolina in the U.S. Senate for a full term starting in January 2027. While the Cook Political Report previously categorized the race as "Solid Republican," the organization moved its rating to "Likely Republican" in late September.
The debate will be broadcast live across the statewide SCETV television and radio network, and streamed on SCETV’s YouTube channel and Facebook page on Oct. 11. Following the debate, voters will cast their ballots in the general election on Nov. 3. The winner will be sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January to succeed Darline Graham's current appointed term.