Is former SC Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer preparing to take on Sen. Graham? What we know
Former Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer appears to be gearing up to challenge U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in the Republican primary.
An “Andre Bauer for U.S. Senate” fundraising page has been set up through WinRed, the Republican Party’s online campaign donation processing site. The page is being paid for “Andre Bauer for U.S. Senate” and includes an address to a Greenville P.O. box
Bauer did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Bauer, who served as lieutenant governor from 2003 to 2011, has not yet filed fundraising paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission.
The website andrebauer.com also is under construction. The site previously included a biography of Bauer and stances on issues.
Bauer ran for governor in 2010 but finished fourth in the primary. Bauer has been showing signs he’s considering a return to the political stage. In January 2023, Bauer stood with President Donald Trump as he rolled out his South Carolina Leadership team at the State House.
If Bauer gets into the race to try to oust Graham, he would be the senior senator’s most notable primary challenger in years as those on the right believe he may be vulnerable with conservative voters.
Graham has a 34% approval rating among all South Carolinians. Among Republicans he is at 55%, according to a poll released in May by Winthrop University.
Graham, who reported having $15.6 million cash on hand as of March 31, has faced primary challenges before, and multiple challengers helped lead to a split in the anti-Graham vote. Since being elected to the Senate, Graham has clinched the nomination in each of his reelection campaigns without the need to go to a runoff.
He is already facing a challenge from Upstate businessman Mark Lynch, who put in $5 million of his own money into the race.
Graham, however, has been endorsed by Trump, who is popular among the Republican voting base in South Carolina. Graham also is being supported by Gov. Henry McMaster and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott. In May, Graham rolled out a finance committee with a list of more than 90 prominent donors in South Carolina.
