Graham challenger announces $3.5M fourth quarter haul

South Carolina Democrat Jaime Harrison on Monday announced that he raised more than $3.5 million in the last three months as he campaigns to unseat Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Harrison faces a tough challenge against the three-term senator, but the Democrat’s campaign is touting the fourth quarter fundraising as the most any South Carolina Democratic challenger has raised in the state’s history. 

Harrison received donations from voters in each of South Carolina’s 46 counties, the campaign said. The $3.5 million was raised from more than 112,000 total contributions, with the average donation being about $27.

Harrison is starting 2020 with more than $4.6 million cash on hand. 

“This campaign is about bringing hope back into the lives of the people of the Palmetto State and bringing a spirit of public service back to the Senate,” Harrison said in a statement.

“I am fighting to ensure every South Carolinian has access to good paying jobs and affordable quality healthcare. South Carolinians deserve a Senator in Washington that will stand up and fight for them. I am running to be the change our great state deserves.”

Harrison is a Democratic National Committee official and former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party. His campaign is backed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. 

Graham’s campaign has yet to finalize its fundraising total for the last quarter of 2019, according to The State. 

In October, Graham’s campaign said it raised $3.29 million for his reelection in the third quarter which the campaign said was more than any other Republican Senate candidate. He ended the third quarter with $8.4 million cash on hand.

Graham won his most recent reelection campaign in 2014 by more than 15 points, and President Trump beat Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in South Carolina by more than 14 points in 2016.