Annie Andrews says ‘broken policies’ in healthcare moved her to run for office

ROCK HILL, S.C. — The medical doctor hoping to become South Carolina’s next senator visited Rock Hill on Wednesday.

Democratic Party nominee Dr. Annie Andrews will take on Republican Senator Darline Graham in November. Andrews told South Carolina reporter Tina Terry she believes she has what it takes to win your voice and your vote.

The Charleston-area pediatrician has spent two decades working in children’s hospitals. She says what she saw there moved her to run for office.

“Watching the impact of broken policies coming from failing politicians on my patients and their families helped me understand that the path to really helping more children is through politics,” Andrews said.

Andrews also visited this Rock Hill daycare and talked to parents who say they recently lost day care vouchers.

South Carolina paused most new applications to its Child Care Scholarship Program after federal COVID funding dried up.

“It makes it very difficult to keep two incomes in the household when one child has to be home,” one parent told Channel 9.

Andrews says making life more affordable for working families would be a top priority.

“We should be building up a middle class. We should be supporting working South Carolinian families,” Andrews said.

In November, Andrews will face Republican Senator Darline Graham.

Terry asked what sets her apart from Graham.

“So I will work across the aisle. Darline has said she will be a rubber stamp for this administration. As I said in there, this Senate seat doesn’t belong to one family, one political party, or one president. This Senate seat belongs to South Carolina,” Andrews said.

Andrews says her message is connecting with independent voters and some Republicans.

“Our message is resonating with those critical independent voters in South Carolina and then giving permission to those Republicans to vote for a pediatrician instead of just another politician this election cycle,” Andrews said.

If Andrews wins, she’d be the first Democrat to win since 1998.

Darline Graham stepped into her brother Lindsey’s seat after he died earlier this year. From there, she defeated York County’s Ralph Norman in a runoff for the Republican primary.

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