Maga Rival Attempts To Push Longtime Trump Ally Out Of Senate

A apical Senate state of President Donald Trump is facing a superior situation from nan right. 

Former South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer is moving for nan Senate successful 2026, mounting a Republican superior situation against longtime GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham.

"Lindsey Graham has mislaid his way, and South Carolinians merit a existent blimpish combatant to correspond them successful nan United States Senate – 100% guaranteed," Bauer, a able developer and longtime Trump backer, charged successful a connection early Wednesday, arsenic he declared his candidacy.

Graham successful February kicked disconnected his run for a 5th six-year word representing nan reddish authorities of South Carolina successful nan Senate.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks to reporters connected Capitol Hill connected June 24, 2025. He is moving for a 5th six-year word representing South Carolina successful nan Senate. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Marti)

The legislator was endorsed by Trump successful March and this week he announced that seasoned Republican advisor Chris LaCivita, who served arsenic co-chair of nan president's 2024 run to triumph backmost nan White House, was coming connected committee arsenic his re-election campaign's elder advisor.

Bauer – who unsuccessfully ran for politician successful 2010 (in an predetermination won by now-former governor, erstwhile ambassador to nan U.N. and 2024 GOP statesmanlike campaigner Nikki Haley) and Congress successful 2012 aft serving 8 years arsenic nan Palmetto State's lieutenant politician – touted his Trump and MAGA credentials.

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"One of nan first leaders successful nan state to endorse Trump successful early 2016, André has been connected nan beforehand lines of nan America First movement, and has stood firmly pinch Trump connected each issue," his run touted successful their email release. "André is simply a proven blimpish combatant who will unapologetically guidelines pinch President Trump and put South Carolina first."

Bauer stood alongside Trump astatine nan South Carolina Statehouse successful January 2023, arsenic nan erstwhile president announced his activity squad successful nan cardinal early-voting superior state.

Trump, astatine nan time, called Bauer "a friend of mine, personification that could I deliberation tally for almost immoderate agency and win."

Graham, on pinch Republican Gov. Howie McMaster of South Carolina, besides stood alongside Trump astatine that event.

Eight years earlier, Graham was highly captious of Trump arsenic he was portion of a ample section of rivals who ran against nan existent property mogul and reality TV prima for nan 2016 Republican statesmanlike nomination.

Former President Donald Trump greets Sen. Lindsay Graham during an predetermination run arena successful Columbia, South Carolina, connected Jan. 28, 2023. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images)

But Graham became a adjacent friend and apical state to Trump during nan president's first term.

The legislator has survived superior challenges from nan correct successful his past re-election campaigns, and has been attacked for his much mean stances connected nan issues of forbidden migration and ambiance change, arsenic good arsenic his defense for a muscular U.S. nationalist information and overseas policy.

Ahead of past month's U.S. onslaught connected Iran's atomic facilities, Graham urged Trump to "go all-in" to forestall Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons.

Bauer, successful his run launch, attacked nan legislator arsenic "Globalist Lindsey Graham" and charged that he "has spent 3 decades sending your taxation dollars overseas and backing authorities alteration wars each complete nan world alternatively of helping South Carolinians. Lindsey voted complete and complete again for large spending and that has grown nan nationalist indebtedness by trillions."

Bauer besides based on that "Graham has many times called for amnesty for forbidden immigrants."

Graham, connected Tuesday, hours up of Bauer's launch, spotlighted his efforts to thief Trump's alleged "big beautiful" landmark spending and taxation trim measure walk nan Senate by a razor-thin one-vote margin.

"I conscionable had a awesome telephone telephone pinch President @realDonaldTrump about his excitement regarding nan Senate’s transition of nan One Big Beautiful Bill," Graham wrote successful a societal media post. 

And he highlighted that he's "incredibly proud to person led nan conflict to move President Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ done nan Senate Budget Committee and onto afloat transition by nan United States Senate."

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Graham re-election run spokeswoman Abby Zilch besides took purpose astatine Bauer.

"Andre Bauer has spent his profession chasing titles to provender his ego, moving for 5 different offices and moreover trying to leverage Senator Graham and nan White House for an ambassadorship. When that failed, he launched his sixth run – proving erstwhile again, this is each astir Making Andre Great Again," Zilch claimed successful a statement.

Republicans predominate statewide elections successful South Carolina and nan victor of adjacent year's GOP Senate superior will beryllium considered nan clear frontrunner successful nan 2026 wide election.