By Andrew Wong (V)
In the South Carolina Senate Race, incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham (R) and challenger Jamie Harrison (D) are locked neck and neck. In hopes of ousting one of President Trump’s staunchest allies, Democrats have pooled $22 million to help Harrison’s campaign in October alone; this is on top of the $57 million raised by Harrison during the 3rd quarter of 2020, according to FEC filings. Not to be outdone, Graham has raised over $14.8 million in the last two weeks before the election. Harrison still faces an uphill battle; last week’s polls from the New York Times and Siena College showed Graham 6 points ahead.
South Carolina is one of the most reliably Republican states. Donald Trump won the state by more than 14 points in 2016, and the state has not elected a Democratic senator for more than two decades.
The South Carolina Senate election is one of the most important races this election cycle. Senator Graham, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been one of the most prominent conservative voices in the Senate; he has championed a variety of conservative measures during his time in office. A Harrison victory would be a major setback for Republicans, who are hoping to hold onto their 53-47 majority in the Senate.