Politics & Government

Trump’s ‘top pastor’ could launch challenge of Lindsey Graham

The S.C. preacher who once was called “Donald Trump’s top pastor” is mulling a challenge to “self-centered” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC.

Mark Burns, an Easley pastor who became a regular at Donald Trump’s campaign appearances last year, posted a statement on Twitter thanking the “many Americans” who were encouraging him to challenge South Carolina’s senior senator in 2020 because of the “self-centered actions of Sen. Lindsey Graham.”

Burns also said he is being urged to seek statewide office in 2018, but is “committed to re-electing our great Governor Henry McMaster.”

The pastor tweeted the message along with a link to a donation page.

Burns was a prominent Trump supporter during the 2016 campaign, even delivering a prayer at the Republican National Convention. He was featured in a Time magazine piece that declared him Trump’s “top pastor.”

This story was originally published October 17, 2017 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Trump’s ‘top pastor’ could launch challenge of Lindsey Graham."

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