The main declared Democrat running against Lindsey Graham in the 2026 South Carolina U.S. Senate race is Dr. Annie Andrews, a pediatrician and former 2022 House candidate. There is also at least one other Democrat, Lee Johnson from Greenville, who has launched a long‑shot campaign.

Quick Scoop: Who Is Running Against Lindsey Graham?

Key Democratic challengers (2026)

  • Dr. Annie Andrews (Democrat) – Charleston-based pediatrician and 2022 Democratic nominee for U.S. House against Rep. Nancy Mace.
  • Lee Johnson (Democrat) – Greenville Democrat and liberal activist who has announced a long‑shot bid for the seat.

In fundraising and media coverage, Andrews is treated as the leading Democratic challenger , with reports describing her directly as “running against Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in the 2026 election.”

Republican side: intra-party challenges

Although your question focuses on “who is running against Lindsey Graham,” it’s worth noting that he also faces pressure inside his own party:

  • Former South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer has launched a 2026 Republican primary challenge, positioning himself as a more hardline pro‑Trump conservative.
  • Reporting has also mentioned other Republicans considering or launching primary bids, like an “upstate businessman” challenger, showing some restlessness on the right.

Context around the race

  • Graham is a four‑term incumbent who last won reelection in 2020 by about 10 points in what became the most expensive race in South Carolina history.
  • South Carolina has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in decades, so any Democrat, including Andrews, starts as an underdog, though some recent polling suggests a more competitive environment than in the past.

Simple table of main names

Candidate Party Role in 2026 race
Lindsey Graham Republican Incumbent U.S. Senator seeking reelection
Annie Andrews Democrat Declared Democratic challenger running against Graham
Lee Johnson Democrat Announced long‑shot Democratic challenger
Andre Bauer Republican Primary challenger running against Graham from the right
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Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.