Joe Kent Endorses Mark Lynch in June 9 Graham Primary as Trump Backs Incumbent

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 5

Joe Kent, the former National Counterterrorism Center director, endorsed Mark Lynch on Thursday in South Carolina’s June 9 Republican Senate primary, urging voters to oust Lindsey Graham.
Kent framed Graham as a "war hawk" and "neocon," saying voters who want to stop sending billions overseas and avoid more Middle East wars should back Lynch.
Trump has taken the opposite side, giving Graham his "complete and total endorsement" and earlier calling Lynch a "LUNATIC" who would be a disaster for the Republican Party.
Graham’s campaign dismissed Kent’s backing by citing Trump’s past attacks on Kent as a "SLEAZEBAG," "LEAKER" and "LOSER," while highlighting endorsements from South Carolina Republicans and anti-abortion groups.
The clash underscores a foreign-policy split inside the GOP, with Kent having resigned in March over the Iran war and Graham warning that Republicans who oppose Trump’s agenda face primary fallout.