At Lake Wylie: Graham says he’s campaigning ‘as if I’m behind’ in the Senate race
Despite back-to-back polls, showing U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham tied with Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison, the longtime South Carolina senator made it clear Friday at a campaign event in Lake Wylie — he’s not worried.
A poll released Wednesday from Quinnipiac University revealed about 48% of likely voters would support Graham in November, and the same for Harrison. A month earlier, another Quinnipiac poll showed the two candidates tied at 44% support.
And as a result of Wednesday’s poll, Harrison raised more than $2 million in 48 hours, according to the former lobbyist’s campaign. Friday, Graham acknowledged the close poll and subsequent funds during his visit to YMCA Camp Thunderbird.
“My opponent will raise over $30 million in three months,” Graham told the 100-plus crowd. “He’ll raise more money than everybody running for the Senate...Where’s it coming from? California. MoveOn.org. ActBlue. Every liberal in the country hates my guts. I must be doing something right.”
The room, filled with “Trump 2020” paraphernalia, erupted with claps and laughter. Even a cardboard cutout of President Donald Trump, holding his thumbs up, stood in the corner.
Graham questioned the accuracy of the neck and neck poll, ensuring the crowd that South Carolina Republicans will show up and prove the numbers wrong come November.
“I take the race seriously,” Graham told The Herald after speaking to the crowd. “And I know polling — 34% of the sample was Republicans, but there will be a lot more than that on Election Day. So, it’s flawed in terms of its methodology, but I’m running as if I’m behind, and we’re doing really well.”
Graham went on to claim the Democratic Party is trying to “buy the state,” spending millions of dollars to try to beat him.
“The amount of money coming into South Carolina to beat me is going to be probably $60 to $80 million coming from the most liberal groups in the country,” he told The Herald.
“They’re trying to flip this seat and we’re not gonna let that happen. I’ve got a good story to tell in terms of being an effective voice for our state...But everybody in this state who’s conservative needs to understand they’re coming after us all over the country. I need your help.”
‘I need you to stand with Lindsey’
Graham’s Senate Judiciary Committee colleague Sen. Marsha Blackburn, from Tennessee, campaigned alongside him Friday. She spent most of her 40-minute remarks touting Trump’s accomplishments.
“People said, ‘He’ll never get it done,’” Blackburn told the crowd. “He did it. He is working on drug prices and getting those down. NATO — he’s holding our allies to account. Got us out of the Iran deal. Got us out of the Paris Climate Accord.”
The crowd’s claps grew louder as Blackburn continued to list the president’s achievements.
But at the end, Blackburn focused her remarks on getting Graham and several other key South Carolina Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who was at the event, reelected in November.
“You better be grabbing every yard sign here and go put it up,” she shouted at the crowd. “Put it in the back window of your car. We’ve got 45 days. I need you to stand with Lindsey. I need you to stand with Ralph. I need you to stand with President Donald Trump.”
Graham said it was important to have Blackburn by his side to show the diverse strength of the Republican Party.
“We have Tim Scott. We have Nikki Haley. We have Marsha Blackburn. We’ve got a dynamic party and I can’t wait for this election,” Graham told The Herald. “I think we’re going to do extremely well all over the country and we’re going win in South Carolina.”
This story was originally published September 18, 2020 at 7:29 PM.
