US Senate Race Official as Graham Seeks Re-Election

The Palmetto State’s senior Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-Seneca) is set to seek a 4^th, six-year term this year, and as usual, faces a multitude of challengers starting with the tentatively scheduled GOP Primary on June 9^th.

Graham’s one-eighty puts him in strong position for re-election. Graham, whose position as the powerful Senate Judiciary Chairman and high-profile in the media, has accumulated a lot of power in the senate. Graham, seemingly in trouble in his re-election bid after his strong opposition to the election of President Trump in 2016, has staved off a few rumored well-known challengers after his strong defense of Brett Kavanaugh during the 2018 hearings amid allegations of sexual assault leveled against the since confirmed Justice.

Graham has often drawn criticism for his record, which tacks to the left of his party and is a source of attacks from some of his primary opponents. Despite that record, Graham’s popularity amongst Republicans has skyrocketed due to his consistent public backing of the president. The higher-ups in the State Republican Party have signaled their near-unanimous support for the incumbent.

The longtime senator faces a trio of opponents hoping to force him into a runoff election on June 23^rd. Attorney Dwayne “Duke” Buckner, a former Walterboro Town Councilman labels himself a “Conservative Cavalier” and is running on traditional conservative values while decrying divisiveness in Washington.

Marine Engineer Joe Reynolds of North Charleston is running on more of a centrist platform and campaigning as a staunch believer in term limits. He has pledged to serve only one term if elected. Reynolds currently has the most cash on hand of Graham’s primary opponents.

Businessman and author Michael LaPierre of Pickens has had the most active campaign of the GOP candidates. LaPierre’s extensive résumé includes being a former Fortune 500 executive as well as being an Ivy League graduate with an MBA from Clemson.

LaPierre has consistently shared his Christian faith with voters and has hit Graham on his senate record – particularly hitting the incumbent on his near unanimous backing of all nominees of the Obama administration including the former President’s Supreme Court picks. LaPierre has noticeably kept a more intense public schedule and a large digital media campaign.

Democrats show confidence in political insider. After the intense Kavanaugh hearings, Democrats inside the state and in Washington put a target on Graham’s back. Formerly reasonably popular amongst South Carolina Democrats, they have pivoted to view Graham as a down-the-line partisan. Democrats have pinned their hopes on former State Party Chairman and lobbyist Jamie Harrison of Columbia.

Prepare to see an abundance of political ads as Harrison has smashed state fundraising records for Democrats and out raised Graham in 2020’s first quarter, only to be outdone by Graham’s fundraising machine. While Democrats are aiming for Graham, the incumbent would still be considered a strong favorite should the two face off in November.

Graham’s overall approval has remained consistent throughout his tenure in which he previously has won three general elections easily. The different dynamic this time around: Graham’s popularity amongst Republicans has shown a stark increase while his popularity amongst Democrats has taken a nosedive, virtually evening out the general election prospects for any challenger. Harrison’s war chest and DC backing should allow him to make Graham work for this election.

Graham will face several third-party opponents from the right in November. Constitution Party candidate Bill Bledsoe of Spartanburg, Libertarians Keenan Wallace Dunham of Myrtle Beach and David Weikle of North Augusta round out the candidates.

In a primary campaign season that has been blunted by the Coronavirus outbreak, stay tuned for interesting campaigns where it would seem that the lack of the ability to campaign publicly would help well-known incumbents.

 

Preston Baines is a Political and Policy Consultant from Chapin. He can be reached at @prestonbaines on Twitter and prestonbaines@gmail.com.

 

 

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