Asking for Money, Graham Says, 'They Hate My Guts'

Senator says he's being outraised in South Carolina's close race
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 25, 2020 3:36 PM CDT
Asking for Money, Graham Says, 'They Hate My Guts'
Sen. Lindsey Graham attends a campaign event for House candidate Nancy Mace on Monday in North Charleston, S.C.   (AP Photo/Meg Kinnard)

"I'm being killed financially," Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a Fox interview Thursday about fundraising for his reelection campaign. "This money is because they hate my guts." Graham made a plea for donations, prompting Democratic opponent Jaime Harrison to tweet, "Anybody else get the sense that (Graham) just realized he's going to lose on November 3rd?" Graham made a similar claim Monday on Fox in asking for campaign contributions: "I'm getting outraised 3-1, outspent 4-1," he said. It's not apparent what Graham was referring to, reports the Hill. His June filing with the Federal Election Commission showed he'd raised $29 million in the most recent reporting period, while his opponent had collected just over $28 million. Graham reported having $15 million in cash reserves, while Democrat Jaime Harrison had $10.2 million.

Harrison did pull in more than Graham in the first quarter of 2020, $7.3 million to $5.6 million. Graham said Harrison "will raise $100 million in the state of South Carolina," pointing out that he holds the current state spending record—$13 million on his 2014 reelection. Regardless of who has more money, Graham and Harrison appear to be running close for votes. The Cook Political Report has the race leaning toward Graham. Meg Kinnard, an AP reporter covering the campaigns, says the race is tightening. "But I would still say that this is Lindsey Graham's race to lose," she told Slate. And the money the two candidates are raising goes far in South Carolina, where broadcast airtime isn't as expensive as it is elsewhere, Slate points out. (Graham's switch on the Senate voting on a Supreme Court nominee could pay off for him.)

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