My Friend the U.S. Senate Candidate
I want the world to know Annie Andrews like I know Annie Andrews, before she becomes the next U.S. Senator from South Carolina
They say you don’t really know someone until you’ve seen them at their worst — and I believe over the last couple of years, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Annie Andrews at her core.
Now, seeing someone at their worst might sound grim… but I’m a ride-or-die friend of Annie because even in her darkest moments, she remains a shining light — a beacon of hope with a heart of gold and a stellar sense of humor.
When I met Annie in 2022, she was Dr. Andrews to me. You could say she was my boss, as an incoming resident at MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital where she was a professor. Within days of working at the hospital, it became clear she was one of the most beloved faculty members — and not because of her politics, but because she is a damn good teacher, a brilliant physician, and a deeply compassionate human being.
We became fast friends (Twitter pals turned IRL, thanks to mutual sarcasm and a shared caffeine addiction). I was initially drawn in by her intellect and presence, only to be delighted by her relatability and her edgy-yet-polite snark.
Yes, she was a candidate for Congress, a professor, and an accomplished gun violence researcher, but we bonded over South Carolina craft beer, our mutual love of good coffee, and her kids’ total obsession with reading.
After her 2022 loss, I summed up her campaign with a quip: “The vibes were pristine, but the gerrymander was obscene.” I believe that still rings true.
Annie ran an overwhelmingly positive, energetic campaign in the face of an opponent who has since revealed herself as one of the most unhinged politicians in America. But make no mistake: that race left scars. While Annie fought for children and families, politics showed its ugliest face. Ultimately, MUSC — the very institution where she had spent years teaching and saving lives — chose cowardice over courage and severed ties with one of its most respected pediatricians, yielding to political pressure. It was a devastating, unjust blow that shocked residents, students, and colleagues alike.
But Annie? She didn’t flinch. She did what only Annie could: she rose from the ashes.
Despite the setback, Annie was flooded with job offers from leading academic medical institutions across the country — an unsurprising outcome to anyone who’s worked with her. She accepted a professorship at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., and (lucky me) I already had plan to move there after graduation for my first big kid job.
Still, her heart never left South Carolina. She continues to live nearly full time in the Palmetto State where her three kids are still enrolled in public school, and where she can still be found cheering from the front row at hip-hop dance competitions and taekwondo practice. Annie has been an incredible friend to me — but more importantly, she is a Super Mom raising three truly extraordinary kids.
So how did part-time pediatrician full-time Super Mom end up deciding to run against Lindsey Graham? I’m not entirely sure, and I may have even tried to talk her out of it (oops). I had seen how grueling that first campaign had been for her and I wanted to protect my friend from the nasty world of SC politics.
But I was wrong. So wrong.
Over the days and weeks that followed, I watched something shift. Annie’s mind was working overtime, and I knew what was coming: she wasn’t going to let this moment pass her by. And thank God for that — because in Donald Trump and Lindsey Graham’s America, no one is safe. Especially our children. Pediatricians like Annie — and like me — know the truth: the kids are not alright.
That’s why this campaign matters.
Annie Andrews isn’t a career politician. She’s a mom, a doctor, and a fierce advocate for children and working families. She has spent her life fighting for those who don’t have a lobbyist in Washington — the kids on Medicaid, the families who deserve better than thoughts and prayers after every mass shooting.
She will bring a pediatrician’s clarity, a mother’s resolve, and a scientist’s rigor to the U.S. Senate. She will champion common sense kitchen table solutions, defend and expand Medicaid, fight for real solutions to our gun violence epidemic, and invest in strong public schools that serve every child — not just the lucky ones.
If you believe our children deserve better… if you believe compassion, intelligence, and courage still have a place in politics… then now is the time.
Support Annie Andrews. Donate. Knock on doors. Tell your friends. Because we don’t just need more women and moms in office. We need Dr. Annie Andrews.
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