Beasley and Hodges endorse Democrat in South Carolina Senate race

The South Carolina Senate race has become a contested battleground in a state that typically votes Republican. Former governors David Beasley and Jim Hodges have issued a joint endorsement for Democrat Annie Andrews. Beasley, a Republican, and Hodges, a Democrat, are the first two former governors from the Palmetto State to back the same Senate candidate.

Andrews, a pediatrician, is challenging Darline Graham, the current senator and sister of the late Lindsey Graham. Graham holds the seat with the endorsement of President Donald Trump. The race has drawn more attention than expected, with recent polling showing Graham maintaining a lead over Andrews. However, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report has shifted its assessment of the state. It now rates the race as a Lean Republican, down from a Likely Republican designation.

In a joint video, the former governors addressed the political climate directly. Beasley stated that the country is too divided and that political rhetoric has gotten way, way out of hand. Hodges added that they are coming together to support Andrews because she is the best candidate to put South Carolina first. The two men, who faced each other in the 1998 gubernatorial election, acknowledged they do not agree on every issue. They cited a shared belief that Andrews is willing to put people ahead of politics.

Beasley, who served as governor from 1995 to 1999, recently wrote an opinion piece for the Charleston Post and Courier. In that column, he described the current state of the Republican Party as heartbreaking. He argued that too many in the party have won by tearing others down and pitting communities against one another. Beasley noted that he has not seen President Trump show compassion or respect to groups he disagrees with. He called the resulting vitriol toxic and said it is feeding into the hearts, minds, and souls of Americans. He concluded that it is not the party he knew or the party he considers himself a member of.

This cross-party support is part of a wider trend in this year's midterm elections. In Kansas, former Republican governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden endorsed Democrat Adam Hamilton. Hamilton is running against Republican incumbent Roger Marshall. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico has received public endorsements from more than 20 Republican leaders and members of the Bush family. He is challenging Republican Ken Paxton. Similar endorsements from Republicans for Democratic candidates have appeared in Georgia, Montana, Florida, Virginia, Illinois, and South Dakota.

Beasley and Hodges both served as governor before losing their bids for re-election or facing term limits. Beasley lost to Hodges in 1998. The two men have now united behind Andrews, signaling a strategic move in a race that has defied traditional partisan expectations. Their endorsement adds weight to Andrews' campaign as the election approaches.