News Aggregation

In mid-December, Dr. Annie Andrews turned on her camera to record. The pediatrician — among a growing cohort of medical professionals who use social media to break down health care news and misinformation — had a public service announcement. “As the entire country is aware, we have a measles outbreak in the upstate of South Carolina,” Andrews said. At the time, there had been over 120 cases of the highly contagious disease in the state, where she and her three school-aged children reside. Andrews noted that the vaccine available to prevent measles — known as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine — is incredibly safe and effective. She offered practical advice for adults who might want to check if their measles immunity had waned. And she cautioned people to be extra mindful amid holiday travel. “Please stay home if you have a fever, stay home if you have obvious cold symptoms like a cough and a runny nose,” she said. “Certainly stay home if you have a rash along with that fever. Protect your loved ones and do what you can to stop the spread of measles here in South Carolina and in the other parts of the country where it is currently spreading.” Her video ended with an image promoting her campaign for the U.S. Senate. “I never in a million years, when I was in medical school, thought that I would be running for the U.S. Senate and also talking about measles nearly every single day,” Andrews told The 19th. A growing measles outbreak — since start of the year, more than 700 cases have been reported in the United States, with South Carolina being the epicenter — has become a cornerstone of Andrews’ messaging for her campaign, which she balances while working at a children’s hospital and parenting. And Andrews suspects that mothers are paying close attention to her campaign. She calls mothers of school-aged children her most loyal base of supporters. They leave positive messages on social media, stop her after campaign events and while she’s shopping at the grocery store. “As we see our children under constant threats — whether it’s from the gun violence epidemic or now sort of the politicization of HHS and vaccine recommendations — moms have had enough and they’re fighting back,” she said. “I think I’m tapping into something here in South Carolina and across the country. Moms who just get that ‘mama bear’ instinct — and now they understand that politics is a really important way to fight back and protect their kids.” The Democrat faces an uphill battle as she challenges Sen. Lindsey Graham, a four-term Republican incumbent who’s held the seat for more than 20 years. While Andrews outraised Graham in the third and fourth quarters of 2025 and polling indicates a close race, the senator has more cash-on-hand to spend. Both candidates are heavily favored to win their primaries in June. Andrews first ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Republican Rep. Nancy Mace in the 2022 midterm election. Mace easily won, capturing more than 56 percent of the vote over Andrews’ 42 percent in a race that centered health care and abortion. After her last congressional bid, Andrews did not plan to run again. Then Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as health secretary. “The fact that it is 2026 and here I am in South Carolina, where we are in the midst of a measles outbreak because of disinformation and conspiracy theories spread by people like RFK Jr. — is just really mind-blowing to me as a health care professional, as a physician, as a clinical researcher,” she said. “And so it really was the reason I decided to get in this race.” Andrews connects Kennedy’s actions on vaccines — his department has made several changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, including cutting the number of recommended universal shots, to senators like Graham in part by noting their critical confirmation votes. A spokesperson for Graham did not respond to a request for comment about the senator’s stance on the measles outbreak in his home state. A review of recent public news releases on Graham’s Senate website does not appear to address the topic. But Andrews’ campaign also focuses on health concerns more broadly: Andrews believes the political headwinds are shifting. Republicans, who control Congress, last year enacted massive budget cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and they allowed enhanced subsidies that helped people afford insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act to lapse, sending premiums skyrocketing. “South Carolina has a lot of health care deserts, folks who live in rural areas, who have to drive many, many miles and cross county lines to reach a hospital system and an emergency department and maternity care,” she said. “All of that is going to be made so much worse because of what we’ve seen from this Trump administration — of course, enabled and supported by Lindsey Graham.” Andrews is tapping into a topic with massive implications on public health, said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action, a political action committee that tries to elect Democrats with a STEM background to office and has endorsed Andrews. Before the record-setting cases in 2025, the United States had averaged 180 cases of measles annually since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated. Four times as many cases have been reported this year and the United States is on the brink of losing its elimination status. Andrews is running for the U.S. Senate while continuing her work at a children’s hospital, where she says treating patients “reminds me of all the reasons I’ve sacrificed so much to run for office.” (REBEKAH HULLIHEN/Annie Andrews Campaign) “As a pediatrician in kind of ground zero of the measles outbreak in South Carolina, she is a voice of real credibility and authority,” Naughton said. Doctors and health care professionals have increasingly declared candidacies ahead of the midterms, according to 314 Action. Last November, the group endorsed and supported 148 candidates in races that included seats in New

In mid-December, Dr. Annie Andrews turned on her camera to record. The pediatrician — among a growing cohort of medical professionals who use social media to break down health care news and misinformation — had a public service announcement. “As the entire country is aware, we have a measles outbreak in the upstate of South Carolina,” Andrews said. At the time, there had been over 120 cases of the highly contagious disease in the state, where she and her three school-aged children reside. Andrews noted that the vaccine available to prevent measles — known as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine — is incredibly safe and effective. She offered practical advice for adults who might want to check if their measles immunity had waned. And she cautioned people to be extra mindful amid holiday travel. “Please stay home if you have a fever, stay home if you have obvious cold symptoms like a cough and a runny nose,” she said. “Certainly stay home if you have a rash along with that fever. Protect your loved ones and do what you can to stop the spread of measles here in South Carolina and in the other parts of the country where it is currently spreading.” Her video ended with an image promoting her campaign for the U.S. Senate. “I never in a million years, when I was in medical school, thought that I would be running for the U.S. Senate and also talking about measles nearly every single day,” Andrews told The 19th. A growing measles outbreak — since start of the year, more than 700 cases have been reported in the United States, with South Carolina being the epicenter — has become a cornerstone of Andrews’ messaging for her campaign, which she balances while working at a children’s hospital and parenting. And Andrews suspects that mothers are paying close attention to her campaign. She calls mothers of school-aged children her most loyal base of supporters. They leave positive messages on social media, stop her after campaign events and while she’s shopping at the grocery store. “As we see our children under constant threats — whether it’s from the gun violence epidemic or now sort of the politicization of HHS and vaccine recommendations — moms have had enough and they’re fighting back,” she said. “I think I’m tapping into something here in South Carolina and across the country. Moms who just get that ‘mama bear’ instinct — and now they understand that politics is a really important way to fight back and protect their kids.” The Democrat faces an uphill battle as she challenges Sen. Lindsey Graham, a four-term Republican incumbent who’s held the seat for more than 20 years. While Andrews outraised Graham in the third and fourth quarters of 2025 and polling indicates a close race, the senator has more cash-on-hand to spend. Both candidates are heavily favored to win their primaries in June. Andrews first ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Republican Rep. Nancy Mace in the 2022 midterm election. Mace easily won, capturing more than 56 percent of the vote over Andrews’ 42 percent in a race that centered health care and abortion. After her last congressional bid, Andrews did not plan to run again. Then Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as health secretary. “The fact that it is 2026 and here I am in South Carolina, where we are in the midst of a measles outbreak because of disinformation and conspiracy theories spread by people like RFK Jr. — is just really mind-blowing to me as a health care professional, as a physician, as a clinical researcher,” she said. “And so it really was the reason I decided to get in this race.” Andrews connects Kennedy’s actions on vaccines — his department has made several changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, including cutting the number of recommended universal shots, to senators like Graham in part by noting their critical confirmation votes. A spokesperson for Graham did not respond to a request for comment about the senator’s stance on the measles outbreak in his home state. A review of recent public news releases on Graham’s Senate website does not appear to address the topic. But Andrews’ campaign also focuses on health concerns more broadly: Andrews believes the political headwinds are shifting. Republicans, who control Congress, last year enacted massive budget cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and they allowed enhanced subsidies that helped people afford insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act to lapse, sending premiums skyrocketing. “South Carolina has a lot of health care deserts, folks who live in rural areas, who have to drive many, many miles and cross county lines to reach a hospital system and an emergency department and maternity care,” she said. “All of that is going to be made so much worse because of what we’ve seen from this Trump administration — of course, enabled and supported by Lindsey Graham.” Andrews is tapping into a topic with massive implications on public health, said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action, a political action committee that tries to elect Democrats with a STEM background to office and has endorsed Andrews. Before the record-setting cases in 2025, the United States had averaged 180 cases of measles annually since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated. Four times as many cases have been reported this year and the United States is on the brink of losing its elimination status. Andrews is running for the U.S. Senate while continuing her work at a children’s hospital, where she says treating patients “reminds me of all the reasons I’ve sacrificed so much to run for office.” (REBEKAH HULLIHEN/Annie Andrews Campaign) “As a pediatrician in kind of ground zero of the measles outbreak in South Carolina, she is a voice of real credibility and authority,” Naughton said. Doctors and health care professionals have increasingly declared candidacies ahead of the midterms, according to 314 Action. Last November, the group endorsed and supported 148 candidates in races that included seats in New

In mid-December, Dr. Annie Andrews turned on her camera to record. The pediatrician — among a growing cohort of medical professionals who use social media to break down health care news and misinformation — had a public service announcement. “As the entire country is aware, we have a measles outbreak in the upstate of South Carolina,” Andrews said. At the time, there had been over 120 cases of the highly contagious disease in the state, where she and her three school-aged children reside. Andrews noted that the vaccine available to prevent measles — known as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine — is incredibly safe and effective. She offered practical advice for adults who might want to check if their measles immunity had waned. And she cautioned people to be extra mindful amid holiday travel. “Please stay home if you have a fever, stay home if you have obvious cold symptoms like a cough and a runny nose,” she said. “Certainly stay home if you have a rash along with that fever. Protect your loved ones and do what you can to stop the spread of measles here in South Carolina and in the other parts of the country where it is currently spreading.” Her video ended with an image promoting her campaign for the U.S. Senate. “I never in a million years, when I was in medical school, thought that I would be running for the U.S. Senate and also talking about measles nearly every single day,” Andrews told The 19th. A growing measles outbreak — since start of the year, more than 700 cases have been reported in the United States, with South Carolina being the epicenter — has become a cornerstone of Andrews’ messaging for her campaign, which she balances while working at a children’s hospital and parenting. And Andrews suspects that mothers are paying close attention to her campaign. She calls mothers of school-aged children her most loyal base of supporters. They leave positive messages on social media, stop her after campaign events and while she’s shopping at the grocery store. “As we see our children under constant threats — whether it’s from the gun violence epidemic or now sort of the politicization of HHS and vaccine recommendations — moms have had enough and they’re fighting back,” she said. “I think I’m tapping into something here in South Carolina and across the country. Moms who just get that ‘mama bear’ instinct — and now they understand that politics is a really important way to fight back and protect their kids.” The Democrat faces an uphill battle as she challenges Sen. Lindsey Graham, a four-term Republican incumbent who’s held the seat for more than 20 years. While Andrews outraised Graham in the third and fourth quarters of 2025 and polling indicates a close race, the senator has more cash-on-hand to spend. Both candidates are heavily favored to win their primaries in June. Andrews first ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Republican Rep. Nancy Mace in the 2022 midterm election. Mace easily won, capturing more than 56 percent of the vote over Andrews’ 42 percent in a race that centered health care and abortion. After her last congressional bid, Andrews did not plan to run again. Then Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as health secretary. “The fact that it is 2026 and here I am in South Carolina, where we are in the midst of a measles outbreak because of disinformation and conspiracy theories spread by people like RFK Jr. — is just really mind-blowing to me as a health care professional, as a physician, as a clinical researcher,” she said. “And so it really was the reason I decided to get in this race.” Andrews connects Kennedy’s actions on vaccines — his department has made several changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, including cutting the number of recommended universal shots, to senators like Graham in part by noting their critical confirmation votes. A spokesperson for Graham did not respond to a request for comment about the senator’s stance on the measles outbreak in his home state. A review of recent public news releases on Graham’s Senate website does not appear to address the topic. But Andrews’ campaign also focuses on health concerns more broadly: Andrews believes the political headwinds are shifting. Republicans, who control Congress, last year enacted massive budget cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and they allowed enhanced subsidies that helped people afford insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act to lapse, sending premiums skyrocketing. “South Carolina has a lot of health care deserts, folks who live in rural areas, who have to drive many, many miles and cross county lines to reach a hospital system and an emergency department and maternity care,” she said. “All of that is going to be made so much worse because of what we’ve seen from this Trump administration — of course, enabled and supported by Lindsey Graham.” Andrews is tapping into a topic with massive implications on public health, said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action, a political action committee that tries to elect Democrats with a STEM background to office and has endorsed Andrews. Before the record-setting cases in 2025, the United States had averaged 180 cases of measles annually since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated. Four times as many cases have been reported this year and the United States is on the brink of losing its elimination status. Andrews is running for the U.S. Senate while continuing her work at a children’s hospital, where she says treating patients “reminds me of all the reasons I’ve sacrificed so much to run for office.” (REBEKAH HULLIHEN/Annie Andrews Campaign) “As a pediatrician in kind of ground zero of the measles outbreak in South Carolina, she is a voice of real credibility and authority,” Naughton said. Doctors and health care professionals have increasingly declared candidacies ahead of the midterms, according to 314 Action. Last November, the group endorsed and supported 148 candidates in races that included seats in New

In mid-December, Dr. Annie Andrews turned on her camera to record. The pediatrician — among a growing cohort of medical professionals who use social media to break down health care news and misinformation — had a public service announcement. “As the entire country is aware, we have a measles outbreak in the upstate of South Carolina,” Andrews said. At the time, there had been over 120 cases of the highly contagious disease in the state, where she and her three school-aged children reside. Andrews noted that the vaccine available to prevent measles — known as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine — is incredibly safe and effective. She offered practical advice for adults who might want to check if their measles immunity had waned. And she cautioned people to be extra mindful amid holiday travel. “Please stay home if you have a fever, stay home if you have obvious cold symptoms like a cough and a runny nose,” she said. “Certainly stay home if you have a rash along with that fever. Protect your loved ones and do what you can to stop the spread of measles here in South Carolina and in the other parts of the country where it is currently spreading.” Her video ended with an image promoting her campaign for the U.S. Senate. “I never in a million years, when I was in medical school, thought that I would be running for the U.S. Senate and also talking about measles nearly every single day,” Andrews told The 19th. A growing measles outbreak — since start of the year, more than 700 cases have been reported in the United States, with South Carolina being the epicenter — has become a cornerstone of Andrews’ messaging for her campaign, which she balances while working at a children’s hospital and parenting. And Andrews suspects that mothers are paying close attention to her campaign. She calls mothers of school-aged children her most loyal base of supporters. They leave positive messages on social media, stop her after campaign events and while she’s shopping at the grocery store. “As we see our children under constant threats — whether it’s from the gun violence epidemic or now sort of the politicization of HHS and vaccine recommendations — moms have had enough and they’re fighting back,” she said. “I think I’m tapping into something here in South Carolina and across the country. Moms who just get that ‘mama bear’ instinct — and now they understand that politics is a really important way to fight back and protect their kids.” The Democrat faces an uphill battle as she challenges Sen. Lindsey Graham, a four-term Republican incumbent who’s held the seat for more than 20 years. While Andrews outraised Graham in the third and fourth quarters of 2025 and polling indicates a close race, the senator has more cash-on-hand to spend. Both candidates are heavily favored to win their primaries in June. Andrews first ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Republican Rep. Nancy Mace in the 2022 midterm election. Mace easily won, capturing more than 56 percent of the vote over Andrews’ 42 percent in a race that centered health care and abortion. After her last congressional bid, Andrews did not plan to run again. Then Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as health secretary. “The fact that it is 2026 and here I am in South Carolina, where we are in the midst of a measles outbreak because of disinformation and conspiracy theories spread by people like RFK Jr. — is just really mind-blowing to me as a health care professional, as a physician, as a clinical researcher,” she said. “And so it really was the reason I decided to get in this race.” Andrews connects Kennedy’s actions on vaccines — his department has made several changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, including cutting the number of recommended universal shots, to senators like Graham in part by noting their critical confirmation votes. A spokesperson for Graham did not respond to a request for comment about the senator’s stance on the measles outbreak in his home state. A review of recent public news releases on Graham’s Senate website does not appear to address the topic. But Andrews’ campaign also focuses on health concerns more broadly: Andrews believes the political headwinds are shifting. Republicans, who control Congress, last year enacted massive budget cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and they allowed enhanced subsidies that helped people afford insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act to lapse, sending premiums skyrocketing. “South Carolina has a lot of health care deserts, folks who live in rural areas, who have to drive many, many miles and cross county lines to reach a hospital system and an emergency department and maternity care,” she said. “All of that is going to be made so much worse because of what we’ve seen from this Trump administration — of course, enabled and supported by Lindsey Graham.” Andrews is tapping into a topic with massive implications on public health, said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action, a political action committee that tries to elect Democrats with a STEM background to office and has endorsed Andrews. Before the record-setting cases in 2025, the United States had averaged 180 cases of measles annually since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated. Four times as many cases have been reported this year and the United States is on the brink of losing its elimination status. Andrews is running for the U.S. Senate while continuing her work at a children’s hospital, where she says treating patients “reminds me of all the reasons I’ve sacrificed so much to run for office.” (REBEKAH HULLIHEN/Annie Andrews Campaign) “As a pediatrician in kind of ground zero of the measles outbreak in South Carolina, she is a voice of real credibility and authority,” Naughton said. Doctors and health care professionals have increasingly declared candidacies ahead of the midterms, according to 314 Action. Last November, the group endorsed and supported 148 candidates in races that included seats in New

In mid-December, Dr. Annie Andrews turned on her camera to record. The pediatrician — among a growing cohort of medical professionals who use social media to break down health care news and misinformation — had a public service announcement. “As the entire country is aware, we have a measles outbreak in the upstate of South Carolina,” Andrews said. At the time, there had been over 120 cases of the highly contagious disease in the state, where she and her three school-aged children reside. Andrews noted that the vaccine available to prevent measles — known as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine — is incredibly safe and effective. She offered practical advice for adults who might want to check if their measles immunity had waned. And she cautioned people to be extra mindful amid holiday travel. “Please stay home if you have a fever, stay home if you have obvious cold symptoms like a cough and a runny nose,” she said. “Certainly stay home if you have a rash along with that fever. Protect your loved ones and do what you can to stop the spread of measles here in South Carolina and in the other parts of the country where it is currently spreading.” Her video ended with an image promoting her campaign for the U.S. Senate. “I never in a million years, when I was in medical school, thought that I would be running for the U.S. Senate and also talking about measles nearly every single day,” Andrews told The 19th. A growing measles outbreak — since start of the year, more than 700 cases have been reported in the United States, with South Carolina being the epicenter — has become a cornerstone of Andrews’ messaging for her campaign, which she balances while working at a children’s hospital and parenting. And Andrews suspects that mothers are paying close attention to her campaign. She calls mothers of school-aged children her most loyal base of supporters. They leave positive messages on social media, stop her after campaign events and while she’s shopping at the grocery store. “As we see our children under constant threats — whether it’s from the gun violence epidemic or now sort of the politicization of HHS and vaccine recommendations — moms have had enough and they’re fighting back,” she said. “I think I’m tapping into something here in South Carolina and across the country. Moms who just get that ‘mama bear’ instinct — and now they understand that politics is a really important way to fight back and protect their kids.” The Democrat faces an uphill battle as she challenges Sen. Lindsey Graham, a four-term Republican incumbent who’s held the seat for more than 20 years. While Andrews outraised Graham in the third and fourth quarters of 2025 and polling indicates a close race, the senator has more cash-on-hand to spend. Both candidates are heavily favored to win their primaries in June. Andrews first ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Republican Rep. Nancy Mace in the 2022 midterm election. Mace easily won, capturing more than 56 percent of the vote over Andrews’ 42 percent in a race that centered health care and abortion. After her last congressional bid, Andrews did not plan to run again. Then Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as health secretary. “The fact that it is 2026 and here I am in South Carolina, where we are in the midst of a measles outbreak because of disinformation and conspiracy theories spread by people like RFK Jr. — is just really mind-blowing to me as a health care professional, as a physician, as a clinical researcher,” she said. “And so it really was the reason I decided to get in this race.” Andrews connects Kennedy’s actions on vaccines — his department has made several changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, including cutting the number of recommended universal shots, to senators like Graham in part by noting their critical confirmation votes. A spokesperson for Graham did not respond to a request for comment about the senator’s stance on the measles outbreak in his home state. A review of recent public news releases on Graham’s Senate website does not appear to address the topic. But Andrews’ campaign also focuses on health concerns more broadly: Andrews believes the political headwinds are shifting. Republicans, who control Congress, last year enacted massive budget cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and they allowed enhanced subsidies that helped people afford insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act to lapse, sending premiums skyrocketing. “South Carolina has a lot of health care deserts, folks who live in rural areas, who have to drive many, many miles and cross county lines to reach a hospital system and an emergency department and maternity care,” she said. “All of that is going to be made so much worse because of what we’ve seen from this Trump administration — of course, enabled and supported by Lindsey Graham.” Andrews is tapping into a topic with massive implications on public health, said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action, a political action committee that tries to elect Democrats with a STEM background to office and has endorsed Andrews. Before the record-setting cases in 2025, the United States had averaged 180 cases of measles annually since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated. Four times as many cases have been reported this year and the United States is on the brink of losing its elimination status. Andrews is running for the U.S. Senate while continuing her work at a children’s hospital, where she says treating patients “reminds me of all the reasons I’ve sacrificed so much to run for office.” (REBEKAH HULLIHEN/Annie Andrews Campaign) “As a pediatrician in kind of ground zero of the measles outbreak in South Carolina, she is a voice of real credibility and authority,” Naughton said. Doctors and health care professionals have increasingly declared candidacies ahead of the midterms, according to 314 Action. Last November, the group endorsed and supported 148 candidates in races that included seats in New

In mid-December, Dr. Annie Andrews turned on her camera to record. The pediatrician — among a growing cohort of medical professionals who use social media to break down health care news and misinformation — had a public service announcement. “As the entire country is aware, we have a measles outbreak in the upstate of South Carolina,” Andrews said. At the time, there had been over 120 cases of the highly contagious disease in the state, where she and her three school-aged children reside. Andrews noted that the vaccine available to prevent measles — known as the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine — is incredibly safe and effective. She offered practical advice for adults who might want to check if their measles immunity had waned. And she cautioned people to be extra mindful amid holiday travel. “Please stay home if you have a fever, stay home if you have obvious cold symptoms like a cough and a runny nose,” she said. “Certainly stay home if you have a rash along with that fever. Protect your loved ones and do what you can to stop the spread of measles here in South Carolina and in the other parts of the country where it is currently spreading.” Her video ended with an image promoting her campaign for the U.S. Senate. “I never in a million years, when I was in medical school, thought that I would be running for the U.S. Senate and also talking about measles nearly every single day,” Andrews told The 19th. A growing measles outbreak — since start of the year, more than 700 cases have been reported in the United States, with South Carolina being the epicenter — has become a cornerstone of Andrews’ messaging for her campaign, which she balances while working at a children’s hospital and parenting. And Andrews suspects that mothers are paying close attention to her campaign. She calls mothers of school-aged children her most loyal base of supporters. They leave positive messages on social media, stop her after campaign events and while she’s shopping at the grocery store. “As we see our children under constant threats — whether it’s from the gun violence epidemic or now sort of the politicization of HHS and vaccine recommendations — moms have had enough and they’re fighting back,” she said. “I think I’m tapping into something here in South Carolina and across the country. Moms who just get that ‘mama bear’ instinct — and now they understand that politics is a really important way to fight back and protect their kids.” The Democrat faces an uphill battle as she challenges Sen. Lindsey Graham, a four-term Republican incumbent who’s held the seat for more than 20 years. While Andrews outraised Graham in the third and fourth quarters of 2025 and polling indicates a close race, the senator has more cash-on-hand to spend. Both candidates are heavily favored to win their primaries in June. Andrews first ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Republican Rep. Nancy Mace in the 2022 midterm election. Mace easily won, capturing more than 56 percent of the vote over Andrews’ 42 percent in a race that centered health care and abortion. After her last congressional bid, Andrews did not plan to run again. Then Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as health secretary. “The fact that it is 2026 and here I am in South Carolina, where we are in the midst of a measles outbreak because of disinformation and conspiracy theories spread by people like RFK Jr. — is just really mind-blowing to me as a health care professional, as a physician, as a clinical researcher,” she said. “And so it really was the reason I decided to get in this race.” Andrews connects Kennedy’s actions on vaccines — his department has made several changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, including cutting the number of recommended universal shots, to senators like Graham in part by noting their critical confirmation votes. A spokesperson for Graham did not respond to a request for comment about the senator’s stance on the measles outbreak in his home state. A review of recent public news releases on Graham’s Senate website does not appear to address the topic. But Andrews’ campaign also focuses on health concerns more broadly: Andrews believes the political headwinds are shifting. Republicans, who control Congress, last year enacted massive budget cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and they allowed enhanced subsidies that helped people afford insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act to lapse, sending premiums skyrocketing. “South Carolina has a lot of health care deserts, folks who live in rural areas, who have to drive many, many miles and cross county lines to reach a hospital system and an emergency department and maternity care,” she said. “All of that is going to be made so much worse because of what we’ve seen from this Trump administration — of course, enabled and supported by Lindsey Graham.” Andrews is tapping into a topic with massive implications on public health, said Shaughnessy Naughton, president of 314 Action, a political action committee that tries to elect Democrats with a STEM background to office and has endorsed Andrews. Before the record-setting cases in 2025, the United States had averaged 180 cases of measles annually since 2000, when the disease was declared eliminated. Four times as many cases have been reported this year and the United States is on the brink of losing its elimination status. Andrews is running for the U.S. Senate while continuing her work at a children’s hospital, where she says treating patients “reminds me of all the reasons I’ve sacrificed so much to run for office.” (REBEKAH HULLIHEN/Annie Andrews Campaign) “As a pediatrician in kind of ground zero of the measles outbreak in South Carolina, she is a voice of real credibility and authority,” Naughton said. Doctors and health care professionals have increasingly declared candidacies ahead of the midterms, according to 314 Action. Last November, the group endorsed and supported 148 candidates in races that included seats in New

An effort by Democratic lawmakers to lower snowballing child care costs has a new high-profile front woman: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The New York representative is now the lead House sponsor of Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s Child Care for Every Community Act, The 19th has exclusively learned. Ocasio-Cortez replaces original House sponsor Mikie Sherrill, who is now the governor of New Jersey.  The progressive women’s effort comes as Republicans at the national level are calling for larger American families but have struggled to craft policies that make it easier for parents. Ocasio-Cortez’s backing also comes as Democrats head into a midterm elections cycle where they plan to highlight affordability issues, which polls show are a top concern for voters, including finding affordable child care. High-profile Democratic strategists are already suggesting that universal child care be added to the party’s official policy platform ahead of the 2028 presidential elections.  “We’ve turned childhood itself into a privilege, not a promise. It is time that we give all families the quality, affordable child care they deserve,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement to The 19th. James Carville, who advised President Bill Clinton, among others, wrote in a recent piece for The New York Times: “When 70 percent of Americans say raising children is too expensive, we should not fear making universal child care a public good.” David Plouffe, who managed President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and advised the 2024 campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, recently said that universal child care should be in Democrats’ 2028 platform.  Warren is a senator from Massachusetts who made affordable child care the central pillar of her own 2020 presidential campaign, and she has introduced a series of bills in the Senate related to reducing its cost. If enacted, the most recent legislation would result in half of U.S. families paying no more than $10 a day for child care and cap costs for families in higher income brackets. It would use a sliding scale modeled on the U.S. military’s child care program. There is no funding mechanism attached to the legislation.  “In the wealthiest country on the planet, we can’t keep treating affordable, high-quality child care like a luxury reserved for only the richest Americans,” Warren wrote to The 19th.  Democrats at the state and city levels have already made moves to implement universal or reduced-fee child care. In New Mexico, where lawmakers have been working to lower child care costs since 2019, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced last year that the state would make child care free as of November.  In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani campaigned on the issue, and one of his first moves after being sworn in was announcing a plan for universal child care for children under five. In San Francisco, which has some of the highest child care costs in the country, Mayor Daniel Lurie recently launched a “Family Opportunity Agenda” that would likewise ensure children under five can access child care.  Analysis of polling done by the First Five Years Fund, which aims to build bipartisan support for child care policies at the federal level, showed that voters of all political persuasions believe child care is unaffordable and lawmakers should do something about it. Seventy-two percent of Republican voters, for example, said increasing federal funding for child care was an important priority, along with 70 percent of political independents and 90 percent of Democrats.   While President Donald Trump has said Republicans want to reduce child care costs, and they have aimed to do so by restructuring tax incentives, he has also cut off federal funding for child care programs in states seen as political enemies. During his reelection campaign, Trump said in an economic address that child care is “relatively speaking, not very expensive.” Congressional Republicans have not prioritized legislation related to child care affordability. “Universal child care is incredibly popular, being able to access affordable child care that works for your child and your family is not a ‘red’ or ‘blue’ issue, it’s something that people across parties experience every single day,” said Julie Kashen, director of women’s economic justice for the Century Foundation, a progressive think tank.

The residents of Springfield, Ohio, had prepared for the arrival of immigration agents on February 3, the expiration date set by the Trump administration for Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, who account for nearly a quarter of the city’s population. A federal judge intervened at the last minute, pushing the deadline indefinitely. The agents never arrived.  Still, the city has found itself on edge this month and the threat is as unsettling as it is familiar: online misinformation, this time accusing the very people trying to protect their immigrant neighbors from deportation of trafficking their children instead.  Ahead of the 2024 elections, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, then Republican running mates, amplified a rumor initially shared in a local Facebook group that Haitian immigrants were eating area pets. Last Wednesday, TikTok creators, finding none of the mayhem they expected to see in Springfield, started suggesting that faith-based groups working with Haitian immigrants were misdirecting resources. Then came allegations that Haitians were “under threat from the local community.” Within 48 hours of their arrival, they concocted a conspiracy theory that the churches and nonprofit organizations were, in fact, working to deport Haitian parents to take their children. “The destructive force they have brought is nearly immeasurable,” said one leader in a faith-based coalition, who was hesitant to use her name or the organization’s since the creators have already taken their statements out of context and shared them on social media.  Americans everywhere are trying to figure out what is happening in the Trump administration’s immigration-enforcement hot spots like Minneapolis and Springfield. As they search for information on social media, they are encountering a torrent of misinformation, conspiracy theories and deceptive propaganda. It comes from both political sides: there are liberal Americans using AI to generate the obscured faces of masked immigration agents, though they may not look anything like they do in real life, and there are conservative Americans creating fake images of White women welcoming federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as saviors. Much of it focuses on children or women. Community leaders across the country are warning that it has the potential to destabilize neighborhoods and entire cities, just as it did in Springfield. The latest bout of misinformation to hit this city of about 60,000 residents echoes “Pizzagate,” when right-wing conspiracy theorists said during the 2016 presidential campaign that high-profile Democrats were running a pedophilia ring. It culminated in a believer shooting up a popular Washington pizzeria. The conspiracy echoed around the internet for years, with teenagers on TikTok adopting the cause.  This is how it happened in Springfield this month. Finding no large-scale enforcement action by ICE agents on the street, TikTok creators, who presented themselves as pro-immigrant and anti-deportation, cited reports from “actual Springfield locals” that the groups helping Haitians were refusing them aid. They sent people to a church who demanded to see evidence of the help they were giving. One creator misrepresented news coverage, including by The 19th, to construct the lie that churches and other groups were “trying to take these kids from Haitians and allowing them to be deported without helping them.”  The lies took a life of their own, as viral stories often do. The creators built on each other’s rumors.  Creator Ohaji Free, who posted the video suggesting child trafficking was at play, declined to discuss it with The 19th. Dai’Marr Keys, who suggested community groups were diverting help from Haitians, wrote in an email that he did not stay in Springfield to confirm details because he received threats.  Multiple creators shared photos of Pastor Carl Ruby, whose church has welcomed Haitian congregants. Ruby soon started receiving harassing voicemail messages. Callers said things like, “All of America knows you are complacent in the trafficking of innocent children,” “What is going on with you guys taking their children?” and “Hi, Carl. I was just wondering why you are into, you know, human trafficking and why you want to, like, take these children from families?” Ruby talked to the local police, then spoke to the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. On Monday, Springfield’s schools and downtown streets closed due to unspecified security threats. Ruby said federal authorities have told him that “rogue content creators” played a key role in amplifying complaints from several disgruntled individuals, and that led to the threatening messages he and his church have received. Ruby said in an interview on Tuesday, as calls continued to come in: “These attacks have just made me more motivated to stand with our Haitians and do everything we can to protect them … They’re causing a lot of hassle, but they’re not really getting under my skin.”

The residents of Springfield, Ohio, had prepared for the arrival of immigration agents on February 3, the expiration date set by the Trump administration for Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, who account for nearly a quarter of the city’s population. A federal judge intervened at the last minute, pushing the deadline indefinitely. The agents never arrived.  Still, the city has found itself on edge this month and the threat is as unsettling as it is familiar: online misinformation, this time accusing the very people trying to protect their immigrant neighbors from deportation of trafficking their children instead.  Ahead of the 2024 elections, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, then Republican running mates, amplified a rumor initially shared in a local Facebook group that Haitian immigrants were eating area pets. Last Wednesday, TikTok creators, finding none of the mayhem they expected to see in Springfield, started suggesting that faith-based groups working with Haitian immigrants were misdirecting resources. Then came allegations that Haitians were “under threat from the local community.” Within 48 hours of their arrival, they concocted a conspiracy theory that the churches and nonprofit organizations were, in fact, working to deport Haitian parents to take their children. “The destructive force they have brought is nearly immeasurable,” said one leader in a faith-based coalition, who was hesitant to use her name or the organization’s since the creators have already taken their statements out of context and shared them on social media.  Americans everywhere are trying to figure out what is happening in the Trump administration’s immigration-enforcement hot spots like Minneapolis and Springfield. As they search for information on social media, they are encountering a torrent of misinformation, conspiracy theories and deceptive propaganda. It comes from both political sides: there are liberal Americans using AI to generate the obscured faces of masked immigration agents, though they may not look anything like they do in real life, and there are conservative Americans creating fake images of White women welcoming federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as saviors. Much of it focuses on children or women. Community leaders across the country are warning that it has the potential to destabilize neighborhoods and entire cities, just as it did in Springfield. The latest bout of misinformation to hit this city of about 60,000 residents echoes “Pizzagate,” when right-wing conspiracy theorists said during the 2016 presidential campaign that high-profile Democrats were running a pedophilia ring. It culminated in a believer shooting up a popular Washington pizzeria. The conspiracy echoed around the internet for years, with teenagers on TikTok adopting the cause.  This is how it happened in Springfield this month. Finding no large-scale enforcement action by ICE agents on the street, TikTok creators, who presented themselves as pro-immigrant and anti-deportation, cited reports from “actual Springfield locals” that the groups helping Haitians were refusing them aid. They sent people to a church who demanded to see evidence of the help they were giving. One creator misrepresented news coverage, including by The 19th, to construct the lie that churches and other groups were “trying to take these kids from Haitians and allowing them to be deported without helping them.”  The lies took a life of their own, as viral stories often do. The creators built on each other’s rumors.  Creator Ohaji Free, who posted the video suggesting child trafficking was at play, declined to discuss it with The 19th. Dai’Marr Keys, who suggested community groups were diverting help from Haitians, wrote in an email that he did not stay in Springfield to confirm details because he received threats.  Multiple creators shared photos of Pastor Carl Ruby, whose church has welcomed Haitian congregants. Ruby soon started receiving harassing voicemail messages. Callers said things like, “All of America knows you are complacent in the trafficking of innocent children,” “What is going on with you guys taking their children?” and “Hi, Carl. I was just wondering why you are into, you know, human trafficking and why you want to, like, take these children from families?” Ruby talked to the local police, then spoke to the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. On Monday, Springfield’s schools and downtown streets closed due to unspecified security threats. Ruby said federal authorities have told him that “rogue content creators” played a key role in amplifying complaints from several disgruntled individuals, and that led to the threatening messages he and his church have received. Ruby said in an interview on Tuesday, as calls continued to come in: “These attacks have just made me more motivated to stand with our Haitians and do everything we can to protect them … They’re causing a lot of hassle, but they’re not really getting under my skin.”

The residents of Springfield, Ohio, had prepared for the arrival of immigration agents on February 3, the expiration date set by the Trump administration for Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, who account for nearly a quarter of the city’s population. A federal judge intervened at the last minute, pushing the deadline indefinitely. The agents never arrived.  Still, the city has found itself on edge this month and the threat is as unsettling as it is familiar: online misinformation, this time accusing the very people trying to protect their immigrant neighbors from deportation of trafficking their children instead.  Ahead of the 2024 elections, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, then Republican running mates, amplified a rumor initially shared in a local Facebook group that Haitian immigrants were eating area pets. Last Wednesday, TikTok creators, finding none of the mayhem they expected to see in Springfield, started suggesting that faith-based groups working with Haitian immigrants were misdirecting resources. Then came allegations that Haitians were “under threat from the local community.” Within 48 hours of their arrival, they concocted a conspiracy theory that the churches and nonprofit organizations were, in fact, working to deport Haitian parents to take their children. “The destructive force they have brought is nearly immeasurable,” said one leader in a faith-based coalition, who was hesitant to use her name or the organization’s since the creators have already taken their statements out of context and shared them on social media.  Americans everywhere are trying to figure out what is happening in the Trump administration’s immigration-enforcement hot spots like Minneapolis and Springfield. As they search for information on social media, they are encountering a torrent of misinformation, conspiracy theories and deceptive propaganda. It comes from both political sides: there are liberal Americans using AI to generate the obscured faces of masked immigration agents, though they may not look anything like they do in real life, and there are conservative Americans creating fake images of White women welcoming federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as saviors. Much of it focuses on children or women. Community leaders across the country are warning that it has the potential to destabilize neighborhoods and entire cities, just as it did in Springfield. The latest bout of misinformation to hit this city of about 60,000 residents echoes “Pizzagate,” when right-wing conspiracy theorists said during the 2016 presidential campaign that high-profile Democrats were running a pedophilia ring. It culminated in a believer shooting up a popular Washington pizzeria. The conspiracy echoed around the internet for years, with teenagers on TikTok adopting the cause.  This is how it happened in Springfield this month. Finding no large-scale enforcement action by ICE agents on the street, TikTok creators, who presented themselves as pro-immigrant and anti-deportation, cited reports from “actual Springfield locals” that the groups helping Haitians were refusing them aid. They sent people to a church who demanded to see evidence of the help they were giving. One creator misrepresented news coverage, including by The 19th, to construct the lie that churches and other groups were “trying to take these kids from Haitians and allowing them to be deported without helping them.”  The lies took a life of their own, as viral stories often do. The creators built on each other’s rumors.  Creator Ohaji Free, who posted the video suggesting child trafficking was at play, declined to discuss it with The 19th. Dai’Marr Keys, who suggested community groups were diverting help from Haitians, wrote in an email that he did not stay in Springfield to confirm details because he received threats.  Multiple creators shared photos of Pastor Carl Ruby, whose church has welcomed Haitian congregants. Ruby soon started receiving harassing voicemail messages. Callers said things like, “All of America knows you are complacent in the trafficking of innocent children,” “What is going on with you guys taking their children?” and “Hi, Carl. I was just wondering why you are into, you know, human trafficking and why you want to, like, take these children from families?” Ruby talked to the local police, then spoke to the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. On Monday, Springfield’s schools and downtown streets closed due to unspecified security threats. Ruby said federal authorities have told him that “rogue content creators” played a key role in amplifying complaints from several disgruntled individuals, and that led to the threatening messages he and his church have received. Ruby said in an interview on Tuesday, as calls continued to come in: “These attacks have just made me more motivated to stand with our Haitians and do everything we can to protect them … They’re causing a lot of hassle, but they’re not really getting under my skin.”