GOP senator slammed for slur against Democrat
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Republican Sen. Tim Scott used an anti-trans slur to describe Democratic Senate candidate Annie Andrews.
The remark drew calls for an apology and questions about transgender constituents' treatment.
Background
Tim Scott is the Republican senior U.S. senator from South Carolina; Annie Andrews is a pediatrician and the Democratic candidate for a South Carolina Senate seat. Scott's remark followed repeated use of the same slur against Andrews by President Donald Trump, in an October 5 Truth Social post and at a South Carolina rally. Andrews had recently run an ad saying she does not support "biological men playing women's sports" or "gender surgery for minors."
How it unfolded
- Oct 5, 2026President Donald Trump used an anti-trans slur three times in a Truth Social post about Democratic South Carolina Senate candidate Annie Andrews.
- Oct 21, 2026At a campaign rally in Pendleton, South Carolina, Trump used the slur again while campaigning for Andrews's opponent, Sen. Darline Graham Nordone.
- recentlySen. Tim Scott said on Real America's Voice that Andrews, "as President Donald Trump calls her," is a person who believes in "trans surgery, gender surgery for trans kids. That's wrong. Period."
Key terms
- anti-trans slur
- A derogatory term used to insult or demean transgender people.
- Truth Social
- An American social media platform owned by Trump Media & Technology Group.
- Lincoln Project
- An American political action committee founded by conservatives who oppose Donald Trump.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Party
- Jaime Harrison, a South Carolinian and former Democratic Party chair, told Scott he was "embarrassing our state" and called the slur "disgusting and beneath the dignity of the US Senate," saying Scott owes Andrews and the transgender community an apology.
- Expert
- Jessica Riedl of the Brookings Institute asked how a transgender South Carolinian would feel visiting the office of an elected official who behaves this way, urging officials to represent all constituents with dignity.
- Analysts
- Rick Wilson, former GOP strategist and Lincoln Project co-founder, called Scott's comments "dangerous ground that deep on the downlow."
- Caution
- Former Republican South Carolina governor David Beasley criticized Trump's attack on Andrews as "abhorrent," writing that "elections don't have to be about cruelty and lies."
- Support
- Andrews said she will "work with anyone to put South Carolina first" and that as a mom and pediatrician she is in the race to fight for her patients, her three kids and South Carolina.
Still unverified
Rick Wilson's remark referred to rumors about Scott's sexuality, which are unconfirmed.