Graham, Harrison SC Senate debate changed to extended back-to-back interviews
The highly anticipated Friday night debate between Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison won’t take place as planned.
Instead the two candidates are now slated to have back-to-back 30-minute interviews that will air on Nexstar stations around the state.
The debate was planned as a partnership between Nexstar Media and The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
When the debate was first planned, WSPA and the campaigns had agreed to all participants having temperature checks and following CDC guidelines to avoid spreading the coronavirus.
On Thursday, the Harrison campaign called on Graham to take a COVID-19 test because on Oct. 1 he attended a Judiciary Committee Hearing with Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, who has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Harrison said he and the debate panelists all agreed to take COVID-19 tests before the debate. Graham refused and provided a letter from the congressional attending physician saying Graham did not meet the criteria that required a coronavirus test or a 14-day quarantine. Lee and Graham were in a large room and spread out from each other.
“We’re disappointed that Lindsey has failed to take a simple coronavirus test, but we appreciate our hosts were able to change the event format to make it safer for everyone,” Guy King, Harrison spokesperson said. “Jaime will be there in Spartanburg tonight to talk to the voters.”
Graham also pointed out Harrison participated in an hour-long interview with the Post and Courier at an outdoor bar in Columbia but didn’t ask reporters to be tested for COVID-19.
Both Graham and Harrison took COVID-19 tests, which were negative, before their debate on Saturday at Allen University. Harrison also had a plexiglass shield next to his lectern during the first debate.
Graham’s campaign was disappointed with the format change.
“Mr. Harrision is ducking the debate because the more we know about his radical policies, the less likely he is to win. It’s not about medicine, its politics,” Graham tweeted. “Mr. Harrison is demanding special treatment. Other than Mr. Harrison, is any other South Carolinian demanding every person they come in contact with be tested before they meet?”
Harrison has had an almost exclusively virtual campaign since the pandemic began. He is borderline diabetic and has had an aunt die from COVID-19, which has disproportionately affected minority communities.
The debate had been highly anticipated as Graham and Harrison are in a close race. Polls either have the race tied or candidates holding a one-point lead.
The forum begins at 7 p.m. and will air on WSPA in Spartanburg, WLTX in Columbia, WCBD in Charleston, WBTW in Myrtle Beach, WSAV in Hilton Head and WJBF in Aiken.
This story was originally published October 9, 2020 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Graham, Harrison SC Senate debate changed to extended back-to-back interviews."
