President Donald Trump returns to South Carolina on Thursday, October 29, 2026, to rally in Rock Hill for Republican Senator Darline Graham — and the reason for the trip is now in plain numbers. A New York Times/Siena poll released October 28 put Graham and Democratic challenger Annie Andrews tied at 48 percent each, with Election Day on November 3 just five days away.
The short answer is this: a Senate seat in a state Republicans have long counted as safe is now a genuine toss-up in the final week. That is why Trump is making his second visit to South Carolina in two weeks and his third in three months, according to reporting on the trip, and why national Republican groups are rushing extra money into the state.
What the poll actually shows
The Times/Siena survey of 707 voters found Graham at 48 percent and Andrews at 48 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points, according to the Greenville News. In practical terms, that means neither candidate has a clear lead — the race is within the poll’s margin of error, and a small shift in turnout could decide it.
How Graham got here
Graham’s path to the ballot was unusual. She was appointed to the Senate in July after the death of her brother, longtime Senator Lindsey Graham, and then won a crowded Republican primary to run for a full six-year term. She has said publicly that she never planned to become a politician, telling a Greenville audience on October 28 that she was there because of what happened on July 11, when she lost her brother unexpectedly.
Andrews, by contrast, has campaigned for about 18 months and has visited all 46 South Carolina counties, according to the Greenville News. She has focused on affordability, health care access, and readiness for the job, while framing Graham as inexperienced.
Why some Republicans are uneasy
Some Republicans quoted in recent coverage have been blunt about how the race got so close. Representative Nancy Mace told MS NOW the situation was a “mess” and said voters “don’t believe in nepotism,” while Representative Ralph Norman, who lost to Graham in the August primary, said Trump was “trying to force-feed the candidate.” Those are their opinions, reported by MS NOW, not a verdict on the race — but they show that frustration inside the party is now public, five days before voters decide.
The Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC, has committed about $5 million to defend the seat since the poll, according to reporting on the race.
What is at stake
South Carolina has not sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since Fritz Hollings, who served until 2005. A Democratic win here would be historic — and it would tighten the fight for Senate control in the final two years of Trump’s term.
Key takeaways
- Trump rallies in Rock Hill on Thursday, October 29, for Republican Darline Graham.
- New York Times/Siena poll (Oct. 28): Graham 48 percent, Andrews 48 percent; 707 voters; margin of error plus or minus 4.3 points.
- Graham was appointed in July after her brother Lindsey Graham’s death, then won the Republican primary.
- Andrews has campaigned for about 18 months and visited all 46 counties, according to the Greenville News.
- Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, 2026 — five days away.
Bottom line: South Carolina is tied, and the next five days will decide it.
