Lindsey Graham: ‘I’m getting killed financially’

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Fox News Thursday that he was “getting killed financially” by his Democratic opponent Jamie Harrison. 

“My opponent will raise $100 million in the state of South Carolina,” Graham said. “The most money ever spent in the history of the state on a Senate race in this state was by me in 2014 when I spent $13 million.”

“I’m being killed financially. This money is because they hate my guts.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on FOX just now: “My opponent will raise $100 million … I’m being killed financially. This money is ‘cuz hate my guts.” pic.twitter.com/hqMIqpdUoe

— The Recount (@therecount) September 24, 2020

It wasn’t immediately clear what figure Graham was referring to, given that Harrison has raised just over $28 million as of the last Federal Election Commission filings in June, compared to Graham’s $29 million. 

Graham held a cash advantage over Harrison at the end of June, with the Republican reporting $15 million in cash reserves compared to Harrison’s $10.2 million. 

Graham noted that Harrison reportedly raised $6 million in the 72 hours after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday. Graham chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, putting him at the forefront of the GOP’s effort to replace Ginsburg. 

Both Democrats and Republicans have sounded the alarm over Ginsburg’s death, putting the fate of the Supreme Court at the center of the November general election.

Earlier this week Graham made a similar pitch on Fox News, when he asked viewers to “help me fight back” by contributing to his campaign.

“They’re not going to intimidate me, [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell [R-Ky.] or anybody else,” Graham said Monday. “I’m getting outraised 3 to 1, outspent 4 to 1.”

The Cook Political Report rates the race between Harrison and Graham as “lean” Republican, though Harrison has made inroads in some polls showing an increasingly tight race in a state President Trump carried by more than 14 points in 2016.