Democratic Senate hopeful Jaime Harrison says South Carolina voters are seeing a “stark difference” between him and incumbent Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
“This is about closing the book on the old South and writing a brand new book called a new South — one that is bold, that is inclusive, that is diverse,” he said in an interview on CBSN Friday. “Senator Graham is a relic of that old South.”
With just four days until Election Day, Harrison is running neck-and-neck Graham in recent polls, putting one of the reliably red state’s Senate seats into play. It’s one of the races that could help determine which party controls the Senate.
Harrison described Graham as “someone that’s been in Washington, D.C., for 25 years, who has changed and flip-flopped on every single issue.”
“Then you have someone like me, who grew up poor, grew up in a mobile home, went to Yale and now is running for the United States Senate — I hope to inspire people to support me,” Harrison said.
Whether he inspires enough voters at the ballot box remains to be seen, but Harrison has already inspired confidence in donors. His campaign has shattered Senate records by managing to raise over $100 million during the election cycle. Graham’s campaign has raised $74 million.
Harrison criticized Graham’s campaign for trying to win voter support using “scare tactics” to “demonize” him, rather than offering “a positive message about his record.”
“He’s out there saying, ‘Oh, Jaime Harrison is going to defund the police.’ I’ve been clear — I’m not defunding the police. My grandfather was in the police department for over 30 years,” Harrison said.
He also questioned Graham’s priorities in the Senate, accusing him of putting “politics ahead of the people of South Carolina” by aiding in Republicans’ push to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court just eight days before Election Day.
“The urgency that he had for the Supreme Court nomination and ushering that through… I wish he would have placed that urgency on saving lives here in South Carolina through a COVID relief bill,” Harrison said. “That is why folks are serious about getting rid of him and getting real leadership.”
