Andre Bauer, the former lieutenant governor of South Carolina, launched his bid on Wednesday to replace Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Bauer had hinted at the move in an exclusive interview with the Washington Examiner last week. He’s running as a MAGA candidate to Graham’s right, saying the longtime senator had “lost his way” and that South Carolinians “deserve a true conservative fighter.”
“One of the first leaders in the country to endorse Trump in early 2016, André has been on the front lines of the America First movement, and has stood firmly with Trump on every issue,” Bauer’s campaign said in an email release. “André is a proven conservative fighter who will unapologetically stand with President Trump and put South Carolina first.”
Bauer quickly began his campaign blitz on X, posting an anti-Graham ad highlighting the senator’s past criticism of Trump.
“Globalist Lindsey Graham has lost his way. He’s abandoned South Carolina, sides with Democrats far too often, and continues to undermine the America First agenda,” the ad said. “South Carolina deserves a real conservative fighter — guaranteed. That’s why I’m running for U.S. Senate.”
Bauer launched his own campaign website. When viewers open the website, the first thing they’re presented with is a pop-up showing a 10-second clip of Graham voicing his admiration for former President Joe Biden, saying, “What’s not to like?”
Bauer, who served as South Carolina’s lieutenant governor from 2003 to 2011, is hitching much of his campaign on his closeness with Trump. His main criticisms include Graham’s interventionist foreign policy stances and occasional cooperation with Democrats.
“He’s lost his way. It’s more foreign wars. It’s not supporting an ‘America First’ agenda,” Bauer said in last week’s interview.
After leaving office in 2011, Bauer has primarily served in a supporting role politically. In last week’s interview, he claimed that Trump had urged him to reenter politics several times.
“He’s expressed confidence in me four or five times in a row that I’ve seen him,” he said.
EX-LT. GOV. ANDRE BAUER WEIGHING LINDSEY GRAHAM CHALLENGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA
In a statement, Graham spokeswoman Abby Zilch said he was proud to have Trump’s “complete and total endorsement” while highlighting the senator’s work as Budget Committee chairman.
“Senator Graham is focused on helping Trump enact his America First agenda — cutting taxes, eliminating waste, funding border security, and standing with Israel against religious Nazis who want to wipe them off the map,” Zilch said.