A former Republican governor of South Carolina is throwing his support behind the Democratic candidate in the state’s U.S. Senate race, joining forces with the Democrat who defeated him in the governor’s race nearly three decades ago.
Former Gov. David Beasley, a Republican, and former Gov. Jim Hodges, a Democrat, jointly endorsed Democrat Annie Andrews on Monday in a video released by her campaign. Andrews is challenging Republican Sen. Darline Graham, who was appointed to the seat after the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The two men were once bitter political rivals. Hodges unseated Beasley in the 1998 governor’s race. Beasley went on to lead the United Nations World Food Programme, which won the Nobel Peace Prize during his tenure.
“We may have served as your governor from different political parties. But we agree South Carolina deserves better than more of the same political fighting,” Beasley said in the video.
Beasley said the country “is too divided, and the political rhetoric has gotten way, way out of hand,” and that Andrews “understands that leadership isn’t about making people angrier.” Hodges, for his part, said Andrews is “willing to put people ahead of politics.”
The joint endorsement adds to a growing list of Republican backers for Andrews, a pediatrician. Her campaign said more than 100 Republicans have joined its “Republicans for Annie” coalition. It also pointed to Warren Norman, the son of Republican Rep. Ralph Norman, who has said Andrews will be the first Democrat he has ever voted for. Ralph Norman lost a GOP primary runoff to Graham in August.
Andrews has sought to broaden her appeal beyond party lines. “Whether you voted for Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham, or anyone else, if you care more about lowering your bills than the political games in Washington, this campaign is for you,” she said in a statement.
The race appears to be tight. A Trafalgar Group poll conducted in September put Graham at 43.4% and Andrews at 42.3%, a gap within the margin of error. Still, Andrews faces a steep historical challenge: Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate race in South Carolina since 1998, the same year Hodges defeated Beasley.
The endorsement from two men who once competed against each other for the state’s highest office gives Andrews a bipartisan boost as she tries to win over Republican and independent voters in a state that has leaned heavily Republican in statewide contests for years.