Lindsey Graham

A new New York Times poll shows appointed Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC) and Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in a near-even race, with Graham leading by less than one point among likely voters. Graham, who took the seat after her brother Lindsey Graham's death and later won a contested GOP primary, faces voter doubts about her experience, with a majority saying she lacks the qualifications for the job. Andrews leads among independents and draws some crossover Republican support, with voters favoring her on the economy and cost of living. Despite the close poll, forecasters still rate the seat as leaning Republican in a state Democrats haven't won statewide since 1998.

Aiken City Council voted Oct. 26 against naming Aiken Regional Airport or its terminal after the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. The proposal, initiated by council member Kay Brohl, originally sought to rename the airport itself but was amended to apply only to the terminal building after the General Aviation Commission unanimously recommended keeping the airport's name unchanged. Several speakers argued the terminal should instead honor Michael L. Laughlin, a former state senator and aviation businessman who funded its original construction. In a roll-call vote, Brohl, Messina and Mayor Teddy Milner supported naming the terminal for Graham, while Morgan, Price, Waldo and Diggs opposed it, defeating the measure.

Rep. Ralph Norman said he will keep his pledge to vote for Sen. Darline Graham in the November midterms, but his family will not support her, and he will not campaign on her behalf. Norman, who lost to Graham in the August GOP primary runoff, has repeatedly criticized Trump's endorsement of her and the state GOP establishment's involvement in the race. Graham, appointed to fill the seat after the death of her brother Lindsey Graham, faces Democrat Annie Andrews in a contest that the Cook Political Report recently shifted from "Likely Republican" to "Lean Republican." Trump campaigned for Graham in South Carolina this week as the race tightens.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report has moved South Carolina's Senate race to "lean Republican" from "likely Republican" and Mississippi's to "likely Republican" from "solid Republican," citing candidate quality and Democrats' broader push into red territory. Democrats are backing the shift with money: the Senate Majority PAC announced a $1.2 million ad buy in Mississippi attacking incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, boosting Democratic nominee Scott Colom. In South Carolina, Democrat Annie Andrews is challenging appointed Sen. Darline Graham. Both races remain steep climbs for Democrats given past Republican margins, but the ratings change adds two more contests to the list Republicans must defend amid economic headwinds ahead of the midterms.

Following the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham on July 11, Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline, to fill the remainder of his term, with a special election expected to determine who holds the seat long-term. Darline Graham has kept a low public profile since being sworn in, while Democratic physician Annie Andrews has been actively campaigning across the traditionally Republican state.

South Carolina is deeply red, and GOP figures including Katon Dawson and Nancy Mace loom over the race's dynamics, with national Republicans expected to coalesce around a chosen successor. Democrats, who have struggled statewide despite past efforts from figures like Jaime Harrison, see an opening given the unusual circumstances of the vacancy and Andrews's visible campaign presence. The race is being watched as a test of whether shifting demographics and health care-focused messaging could make an otherwise safe Republican seat competitive, with implications for the Senate's partisan balance.

The Cook Political Report moved its ratings for two Senate races on Sept. 23, shifting Kansas from Likely Republican to Lean Republican and South Carolina from Solid Republican to Likely Republican, while still favoring the GOP in both. Cook cited economic pressures in Kansas—fuel, fertilizer and trade-war concerns—and questions over Sen. Roger Marshall's medical billing practices in his race against Democrat Adam Hamilton. In South Carolina, Sen. Lindsey Graham's uneven debate performances and a write-in campaign for primary rival Ralph Norman have raised doubts, though Democrat Annie Andrews remains an underdog. Cook also moved Georgia's race, between Sen. Jon Ossoff and Rep. Mike Collins, from Lean Democrat to Likely Democrat, citing Ossoff's fundraising edge.

Cook now rates overall Senate control a Toss Up, projecting Democrats could net one to five seats; they need four for the majority. Analysts noted a favorable Democratic environment but stressed Republicans' financial advantage and the number of heavily red seats Democrats must still flip.

Sheikh Ibrahim Yassine, a resident scholar at the Islamic Institute of America in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, said in an August 14 sermon that Muslims will "build America" on a foundation of Islamic moral civilization, contrasting it with what he called an American culture obsessed with "worldly life" and technology. The remarks, documented and translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), also targeted President Trump, whom Yassine described as having a "sick mentality" over past comments about civilizational conflict.

MEMRI has tracked a pattern of controversial sermons at the institute. Yassine previously mocked Trump over Iran's succession process and praised the late Ayatollah Khamenei, while fellow scholar Mohammad Qazwini celebrated Sen. Lindsey Graham's death and urged prayers against Trump. Institute founder Hassan Qazwini has also pushed congregants to vote for Muslim political candidates and cast Zionist influence in elections as a threat to counter. The institute has additionally hosted memorials for Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah.