Democrat Jaime Harrison has formally announced he will challenge incumbent Lindsey Graham for his seat in the United States Senate.
Harrison, who grew up in Orangeburg, made his intentions known in a campaign video released Wednesday morning.
The video is constructed like a comic book, with multiple panels and text, since Harrison said he had to learn how to read growing up with what he had, which were comics. He said he learned from the books that "real heroes help people, value honest and loyalty, and that every character's values come from their origin story."
It also takes aim at Graham for previously stating he had problems with then candidate Donald Trump, but becoming close with the president since the 2016 election ended.
"Here's a guy that will say anything to stay in office," Harrison said. "Lindsey Graham can't lead us in any direction because he traded his moral compass for petty political gain. Lindsey Graham, he's forgotten about the people he represents: you."
Harrison, the former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, had been saying for months he'd likely challenge Graham, and formed an exploratory committee. He's a lawyer who went to Yale University and Georgetown University Law School.
Graham is seeking his fourth term in 2020, having served in the Senate since 2003. He'd previously been in the U.S. House for eight years, and had served a military lawyer before that.
Harrison would have to buck some South Carolina political history to get the seat: no Democrat has been elected to a statewide position since 2006. The last Democrat to serve in the U.S. Senate from the Palmetto State was the late Fritz Hollings, who left office in January of 2003.
