Ted Cruz calls South Carolina Senate race ‘neck and neck’ at ‘Freedom Fry’ event in Myrtle Beach
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) -- With just seven days until Election Day, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz joined Republican leaders in Myrtle Beach Monday night, warning that the stakes are high as South Carolina's U.S. Senate race remains tight.
Cruz was among several high-profile republicans attending Congressman Russell Fry's third annual "Freedom Fry" at the Hilton Myrtle Beach resort Monday night, where candidates rallied supporters ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
"Why am I here in South Carolina tonight? Because the Senate race for Darline Graham is neck and neck," Cruz told the crowd. "The radical left has put a bullseye on your state for the last 10 days of this election. The stakes are too high to do anything else."
His remarks come the same day a new South Carolina Policy Council poll showed Republican U.S. Sen. Darline Graham with 47% support, in comparison to 46% for Democratic challenger Dr. Annie Andrews.
For Graham, the race carries personal significance.
"On July 11 is when my life changed. I lost my precious brother unexpectedly, and it has been tough," Graham told supporters. "I loved him, and I miss him dearly every day."
Graham described how quickly she went from grieving her brother to accepting the governor's appointment and deciding to run for a full term. She said continuing her brother's legacy is one of the reasons she entered the race, while also expressing the love she has for the state and her commitment to serving South Carolina.
The governor's race was also a spotlight Monday night.
Republican gubernatorial nominee and current South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson addressed the crowd, urging party unity. Wilson also emphasized affordability, economic growth and government accountability as key priorities of his campaign.
"We have to give them something to be for, not against," Wilson said.
He pledged to work toward making South Carolina more affordable for families, more profitable for businesses, and government more accountable for residents.
Wilson faces Democrat Jermaine Johnson and other candidates in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster.
Monday's gathering brought together other Republican leaders too, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, as the party works to push supporters in the final days before the election.
Early voting in South Carolina continues through Saturday. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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Jordan Titus is a multimedia journalist and producer at News13 . She joined the team in April 2025. Jordan is from Morristown, New Jersey, and moved to the Myrtle Beach area in 2020 and attended Coastal Carolina University. You can read more of her work here .
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