Republican hopefuls spar over Iran, socialism, privacy and filibuster ahead of SC Senate primary
Nine GOP candidates for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat delivered six-minute pitches in Florence County, touching on the Iran conflict, Democratic socialism, privacy concerns over Flock cameras and Senate rules.
At a "speed-dating" style forum in Florence County, nine Republicans seeking to fill the late Sen. Lindsey Graham's seat addressed voters in six-minute segments before the Aug. 11 special primary.
Ralph Norman pledged to overhaul Senate procedures to pass measures like the SAVE Act, while Mark McBride called for an immediate end to the war with Iran, diverging from Trump’s line. Sam Shepherd touted his patent record and promised bureaucratic reform, and Russell Fry linked affordability issues to regulatory burdens and criticized President Joe Biden’s immigration record. Other candidates, including Mark Sanford, Mark Lynch, Danny Ford II and Glenda Gail Parker, raised concerns about the national debt, the filibuster, data-center development, abortion and fossil-fuel reliance, with some also questioning Israel support.
Why it matters
Voters will decide which GOP contender shapes South Carolina's Senate representation and policy stance ahead of the November elections.
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