COLUMBIA, S.C. — Two of South Carolina's most prominent politicians are disagreeing with President Donald Trump's floating of the idea that the November's presidential election could be delayed.
Both Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. James Clyburn weighed in on the controversy on social media just hours after President Trump's tweet where he made his remark.
The President appeared to be commenting on the continued push by some to expand mail-in voting with the pandemic spreading. President Trump has been vocal in opposing that idea for months.
“With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history," Trump tweeted Thursday. "It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”
The dates of federal elections — the Tuesday after the first Monday in November — are enshrined in federal law and would require an act of Congress to change. The Constitution makes no provisions for a delay to the Jan. 20, 2021 presidential inauguration.
It's unclear if the president was serious, or merely throwing the idea out there, but either way, the reaction to it has been swift. Rep. Clyburn, the third highest ranking Democrat in the U.S. House who represents South Carolina's Sixth District, condemned the idea.
"The President’s suggestion of delaying the election on the day we lay John Lewis to rest is the most despicable affront to his memory & legacy," said Rep. Clyburn on Twitter. "Americans will rise up & continue John's fight for unfettered access to the ballot box. Our voices will not be silenced."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a staunch ally of the President, also disagreed with the suggestion, but said he did share some of the president's concern about the integrity of the process.
"While I share the president's concern about fraud in elections that use mail ballots as the primary source of voting, I do not support delaying the November election," Graham said on Twitter. "Last month, the South Carolina Republican primary set a new state record as over 460,000 Republicans went to the polls to vote. I am confident states will continue preparing and be ready to handle the November election. My goal is to continue safely reopening our economy and schools for the fall. I believe we can achieve these goals and have a free and fair election as scheduled."
