Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9
Palmetto Action Spends $3.2 Million to Boost Graham, Attack Lynch Before 50% Runoff Test
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9

Palmetto Action Spends $3.2 Million to Boost Graham, Attack Lynch Before 50% Runoff Test

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9

Summary

  • $3.2 million in TV and digital ads from the newly formed Palmetto Action super PAC has gone to bolster Senator Lindsey Graham and hit Republican challenger Mark Lynch ahead of Tuesday's South Carolina primary.
  • The spending aims to keep Graham above the 50% threshold needed to avoid a June 23 runoff, a risk recent polling has kept in play even with Graham leading Lynch.
  • Palmetto Action began advertising in mid-May and has not disclosed its donors; one anti-Lynch spot cites his 1980s drug charges, which Lynch says he overcame after pleading guilty and entering rehab.
  • Graham, a more than 20-year incumbent with Donald Trump's endorsement, faces little general-election danger, making the primary runoff threat the immediate political and financial concern.

Insights

When millions in untraceable 'dark money' fund campaign ads, how can voters truly evaluate the message and its source?
How does a candidate's personal history of legal troubles and recovery influence their viability against a long-term incumbent?
Are expensive, low-turnout runoff elections the best way to determine a winner, or should other voting systems be considered?