According to Politico, Jaime Harrison, who, according to recent polls, is in a virtual tie with South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, has raised a staggering $57 million in the third quarter of this year, shattering the previous record for a Senate candidate. Harrison is bringing in some serious money as he seeks to unseat Graham.
Harrison’s financial total raised is nearly $20 million more than then-Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s previous record from the third quarter of 2018, when the Democratic candidate had brought in $38.1 million from July through September of that year for his failed Senate race in Texas. Harrison’s campaign said he received 1.5 million donations during the three-month period from 994,000 donors, with an average of just $37. His campaign did not share how much cash Harrison had on hand as of Sept. 30.
“While Lindsey Graham continues playing political games in Washington, Jaime Harrison is remaining laser-focused on the real issues impacting people here — like health care, broadband access, and COVID relief for businesses and families,” said Guy King, a spokesperson for Harrison’s campaign. “After 25 years in Washington, Lindsey Graham has changed into someone voters no longer recognize, and these resources will be instrumental in our efforts to send Lindsey home in November.”
Graham is in the fight for his political life as he is seeking a fourth term in the Senate and facing the most competitive reelection race of his career.
The fight for the senate seat is closer than Graham would like it to be. Public and private polling has shown this race to be extremely competitive. A recent poll from Quinnipiac University late last month showed that the race between the two candidates was tied at 48 percent. An internal poll from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, conducted around the same time, had shown that Harrison was narrowly ahead, 48 percent to 47 percent.
