In new ad, South Carolina Democrat responds to anti-transgender attacks echoed by Trump

Annie Andrews, South Carolina's Democratic Senate nominee, has released a 30-second television ad answering President Donald Trump, who mocked her with an anti-transgender slur in a social media post three days earlier. Wearing a lab coat with a stethoscope, the pediatrician and mother of three says she opposes biological men competing in women's sports and has never performed gender surgery on minors, according to CNN.

Trump supports Republican Sen. Darline Graham, who became senator this summer when her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, died. Though South Carolina is solidly Republican, the race is drawing more GOP attention, and the Senate Leadership Fund has committed $5 million.

Graham's camp and allies were attacking Andrews on transgender issues even before Trump's post, including a super PAC ad showing a transgender shopper nearing a girl in a store. Republicans cite her 2022 opposition to the state's ban on transgender athletes in girls' public school sports, which she called "shameful" on X. Graham campaign spokesperson T.W. Arrighi accused Andrews of lying about her record. Andrews is among Democrats fighting such attacks more forcefully after watching them damage Vice President Kamala Harris in the last presidential race.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN →