It was a big — and in many ways shocking— election night in South Carolina.
Democrat Dr. Annie Andrews beat Republican Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed to the seat this summer after the sudden death of her brother, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
"I would trade this all a thousand times over to have my brother back. But God had a different plan," Graham said in her concession speech Tuesday night at the State Fairgrounds in Columbia. "I cannot begin to tell you how proud I am to have been our party’s nominee, and how hard our team fought. And I am so very proud of them."
Scott Morgan reported from Andrews’ watch party Tuesday night in Charleston.
In other statewide races, Republican Attorney General Alan Wilson beat Democratic challenger state Rep. Jermaine Johnson, in the governor’s race to succeed Gov. Henry McMaster, the state’s longest serving governor.
Wilson on Tuesday called the election a turning point in state history.
"No more doing things the same way we’ve always done them before," Wilson said. "As your governor, I aspire to be a transformational governor, not a transitional governor."
Luis-Alfredo Garcia reported from Johnson’s watch party in West Columbia.
Republicans Secretary of State Mark Hammond, Treasurer Curtis Loftis and Education Superintendent Ellen Weaver were all reelected on Tuesday.
And Republicans Solicitor David Stumbo was elected attorney general, Mike Burkhold was elected comptroller and Cody Simpson will become the state’s next agriculture commissioner.
Republican incumbents also held onto their congressional seats, while state Sen. Wes Climer will join the delegation, representing the 5th District.
The 1st District on the coast flipped once again.
Democrat Nancy Lacore narrowly beat Republican Jenny Honeycutt, who Lacore said conceded the tight race on Wednesday.
South Carolina broke record turnout records.
More than 59% of the state’s registered voters — that’s more than 2 million of the state's more than 3.4 million registered voters — cast a ballot.
That had down-ballot impacts, especially in the state House, where Democrats broke the Republican supermajority, flipping 10 seats.
State Democratic Party leaders said Wednesday it was the largest pickup of seats they could remember in modern history.
