A new Change Research poll in South Carolina finds Jaime Harrison (D) trails Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) by just 7 percentage points in the U.S. Senate race — a surprisingly slim margin given the demographics of a state that elected President Trump by nearly 14 percentage points in 2016.
Graham Moves to Lock Out Primary Challengers
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) “does not yet have a viable primary challenger — and the South Carolina Republican intends to keep it that way,” McClatchy reports.
“On Wednesday, the incumbent U.S. senator’s campaign announced that every Republican in the state’s congressional delegation is endorsing Graham for re-election in 2020… This announcement follows Graham’s rollout last week of endorsements from every Republican statewide elected constitutional officer.”
“The endorsements signal that Graham’s support his strong inside his party, giving him a comfort with his base he has not typically enjoyed in previous election cycles.”
Lindsey Graham Gets a Challenger
Jaime Harrison, the former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, told MSNBC that he will announce Wednesday his Senate bid against Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Lindsey Graham Kicks Off Re-Election Bid
Washington Post: “Twenty months before voters head to the polls, Graham is starting his campaign for a fourth Senate term early — and doing everything he can to link himself to the president. For Graham, the full embrace of Trump is, in part, an effort to stave off primary challengers, particularly someone who could be tempted to run against him as a Trump-style insurgent.”
Graham’s Approval Up Sharply In South Carolina
A new Winthrop poll in South Carolina finds Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) stature has “steadily risen” among state Republicans since becoming a close and vocal ally of President Trump.
Graham’s 74% approval rating among Republicans is up 23 points from April 2018 and is now even with Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC).
Quote of the Day
“If you don’t want to get re-elected, you’re in the wrong business.”
— Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), quoted by the New York Times, explaining how he went from Trump skeptic to Trump sidekick.
Graham Not Interested In Cabinet Position
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told WYFF that he has “zero interest” in joining President Trump’s cabinet.
Said Graham: “I like him, and I want to help him. I want him to be successful. But I feel I can do more good for the country and help President Trump more effectively by being in the Senate. I’ll help him where I can and say no when I have to.”
He added: “I’m going to run again. There you go, you made news. I’m definitely running.”
Graham Goes All In on Trump
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) “unexplained optimism, his eager attempts to soften Trump’s rough edges, have confused colleagues and caused double-takes across Washington,” the AP reports.
“The South Carolina Republican was McCain’s best friend in the Senate, a self-described student of his politics and personal integrity. But he has deviated dramatically in his approach to the tempestuous and divisive president. While others stayed their distance — McCain perhaps most of all — Graham has gone all in, transforming himself into liaison, translator and, critics say, enabler of the president.”
“Graham has his own political motivations. His pivot comes as he is gearing up for his own re-election in 2020. The senator is popular in his deeply conservative state, but opposition to the president could mean risking a primary challenge.”
