FULL DEBATE: GOP candidates for U.S. Senate take stage in Columbia

[0:00] Tonight, five candidates answering questions from across the state about issues impacting you, the voter. [0:06] The five candidates selected by the South Carolina Republican Party for tonight's historic debate, [0:12] Russell Frye, Darlene Graham, Mark Lynch, Ralph Norman, and Mark Sanford. [0:18] Also joining us tonight, six panelists, three selected by the state Republican Party. [0:23] Joey Hudson with Word Radio, Kelly Nash with iHeart Radio, and Wendy Damron with Palmetto Promise Institute. [0:32] Also joining us from our South Carolina gray media stations, Justin Doherty with Fox Carolina in Greenville, [0:37] Anna Harris with WCSC in Charleston, and Eric Weisfeld with WMBF in Myrtle Beach. [0:44] And good evening everyone, I'm Judy Gatz, and welcome to our WIS studios in Columbia, our capital city in South Carolina. [0:53] The five candidates participating in tonight's debate were selected by the state Republican Party based on an aggregate of early polling data. [1:02] Candidates, thank you all for being here this evening. [1:04] You've been provided the rules for the debate this evening. [1:06] We'll cover as much ground as we can. [1:08] As you know, your responses will be timed. [1:10] We'll start with opening statements in according to the order that the polling is revealing in the latest numbers, [1:16] and that's going to be from lowest to highest. [1:18] That means, Mr. Sanford, we start with you. [1:20] The floor is yours for 45 seconds. [1:21] It's a treat to have this conversation tonight, and I appreciate the chance. [1:27] For many of you, I've represented you in Congress. [1:30] Still more, I've represented you as governor. [1:33] I've started a business and built it over the last five years. [1:36] I'm a dad. [1:37] I can't believe I'm a granddad. [1:39] But I think that all of us would agree on a whole host of issues, whether it's a secure border or the importance of a little boy not competing with a little girl on the soccer field or wandering into the restroom. [1:54] But there is one distinguishing factor that I bring to the table that I hope we get to talk about tonight, [1:59] and that is the importance of the national debt and its implications for our lives, affordability, and ultimately the American dream. [2:07] I look forward to that conversation. [2:08] Thank you very much, Mr. Lynch. [2:10] Yes, I'm Mark Lynch, a lifelong South Carolinian, born in Greenville, married 38 years with two children, four grandchildren. [2:17] And I'm a successful businessman in Greenville. [2:20] We've operated a family business now in our 74th year. [2:23] Under my leadership, we've grown the business 35 times in the last 40 years debt-free. [2:28] So I understand budgets. [2:30] I understand tackling the giants that we face every day. [2:33] I understand that we have to win in our business every day with every issue serving customers [2:38] and making sure we take care of them better than our competition, or we would be out of business. [2:44] I know what being debt-free means, and we can't print money out of thin air in our business, [2:50] and we can't do that in government, and it's time to tackle those issues that are causing our debt at $39 trillion. [2:57] Thank you very much. [2:57] Mr. Frye. [2:58] I was born in Surfside Beach in a center block house with no heat or air conditioning. [3:04] My parents worked hard for every single dollar, teaching us the values of hard work, faith, and personal responsibility. [3:10] I know what it's like when every dollar matters because my family lived it. [3:14] Tonight, too many families across South Carolina are wondering how they're going to fill up their gas, [3:19] how they're going to provide groceries for their family, or even afford a home. [3:23] Steve Spurrier used to say, you are what your record says that you are. [3:27] Tonight, I want you to listen closely to that record. [3:31] I'm South Carolina Congressman Russell Frye, and I would appreciate your vote in the August 11th primary. [3:38] Thank you very much. [3:38] Mrs. Graham. [3:39] Thank you. [3:40] Thank you for your prayers. [3:42] My family and I are truly appreciative. [3:45] When President Trump called, I answered because I'm a hard worker, and I'm proud to have his endorsement. [3:51] I'm not a politician, but like Lindsay, I have a servant's heart. [3:55] I grew up in the back of a bar and liquor store where I learned a strong work ethic and the value of a dollar. [4:01] For nearly 30 years, I've worked hard for the people of South Carolina, helping them find jobs and live independently. [4:09] I managed an agency with 130 employees and a $90 million budget. [4:14] I want to continue working hard for the people of South Carolina, and I want to earn your vote. [4:19] Thank you very much. [4:20] And Mr. Norman. [4:22] I'm Ralph Norman. [4:22] Thank you for all who are joining by the TV. [4:25] Look, I'm a 40-year business. [4:28] I've been in the business 40 years. [4:30] I have got a record that's the most conservative that I'm proud of. [4:35] My resume is my record. [4:37] I look forward to serving in the United States Senate for the next six years because I want to take that to Washington, D.C., [4:44] and I think now is the time because we're at a tipping point in this country in so many ways, [4:49] and I'm just excited about the challenge. [4:52] I'm excited about the prospects of what we bring, and it's going to be a new day for a great state like South Carolina. [4:59] We can take that on to the rest of the country. [5:02] Thank you. [5:03] All right, candidates. [5:04] Thank you so much for setting the stage for voters tonight. [5:06] When we come back, we'll get into questions from our panelists. [5:08] Welcome back to tonight's SCGOP debate. [5:24] Candidates, we want to thank you up front for giving voters direct answers to these questions tonight [5:29] so that they can evaluate your policies and platforms. [5:31] Our first question comes from Joey Hudson with Word Radio in the Upstate. [5:35] Take a listen. [5:38] President Trump remains a dominant figure in the Republican Party. [5:41] Should a U.S. senator's primary responsibility be to support the president's agenda [5:45] or to independently represent the interests of the people of South Carolina, [5:49] even when those interests may differ with the president's? [5:53] Mr. Sanford, 45 seconds to respond. [5:57] I think that this is one of the big distinguishing elements in this race. [6:01] I have agreed with the president overwhelmingly. [6:03] When we overlapped when I was in Congress, I voted with him 90% of the time. [6:08] But where I've disagreed, I have disagreed. [6:11] And I think that that's the American way, that it's okay occasionally to disagree [6:14] on things that are tied to spending, things tied to the constitutional framework of our government, [6:20] or things tied to local interests here at home. [6:22] That is what I did during our overlap. [6:25] And so I think it's both. [6:27] You need to watch out for the guy who's running point, but you've got to watch out for folks at home. [6:32] And that's where I think there's real distinction between myself and several folks on this dais [6:36] in terms of where we've stood on that front, for instance, on the authorization of war. [6:41] Mr. Frye, where do you stand on that question? [6:43] I think the short answer is yes. [6:45] The president was elected to be our commander-in-chief. [6:47] Over 80 million people supported him in that endeavor. [6:50] He is the coach. [6:51] And I think in Congress it is frustrating for our conservative voters to constantly see people grandstand [6:57] and jump up and down and oppose him. [7:00] The president has always had an open-door policy. [7:04] When you disagree with him, he has an open phone line. [7:06] I think it is really important as we face Marxism in this country, the radical left moving into Congress [7:12] and winning some of these nominations, people elected us to do a job. [7:15] They elected us to secure the border. [7:17] They elected us to cut your taxes, to rein in this out-of-control bureaucracy. [7:21] And they expect us to get the job done, not grandstand, and not get in the way. [7:26] Mr. Norman, same question. [7:28] Yeah, if you look at what President Trump did when he took office, [7:32] the thoughts of Kamala Harris were completely radical. [7:36] What the president's done, I like his agenda. [7:39] You know, the America First agenda is to secure the border, cut the taxes, [7:43] make sure our military is peace through strength. [7:47] So he set the right course. [7:49] And he has a, he likes people who can disagree with him. [7:54] And the fact that he has done such a great job, and I just think he has, [7:59] but you can disagree with him. [8:01] He loves competing ideas. [8:03] That's how he makes the final decision. [8:06] And typically it's the right decision. [8:09] Mrs. Graham, how would you reconcile differences between the president's agenda [8:12] and what's best for South Carolina? [8:13] To me, this one's simple. [8:15] I completely support the president's agenda. [8:18] I'm 100% behind him. [8:20] I am honored to have his endorsement. [8:22] I've already been working with him on the Russia sanctions deal. [8:26] I've already co-sponsored the Save America Act. [8:29] I'm one of the senators that signed on to stay through recess to get the Save America Act passed [8:35] because it's so important that we do. [8:38] If it were up to the Democrats, they would just open our borders [8:41] and have everyone in here interfering with our elections. [8:45] And President Trump stands against the Democrats. [8:48] And Mr. Lent. [8:49] Yes. [8:50] I support President Trump. [8:51] I voted for him six times. [8:53] He won all three times. [8:55] We know his election was stolen in 2020. [8:58] I'll always support America first and South Carolina. [9:01] That's who I work for, right? [9:03] And so it's good. [9:05] Iron sharpens iron. [9:06] If we have a disagreement, I'll go to President Trump and tell him what I think. [9:10] And then we'll come out with the best decision with that after prayer and discussion at the highest level. [9:18] And that's what we need to do. [9:19] We always come together and find with many counselors comes success. [9:24] So we'll discuss what we need to. [9:26] And I'm not afraid to bring up a question or something I don't think is right with anybody. [9:30] That's what I do in life. [9:32] And with that comes the best decision. [9:35] All right. [9:35] Thank you very much. [9:36] Our next question this evening comes from Justin Doherty in Fox, Carolina in Greenville. [9:42] A recent Pew Research study found only 24% of Americans consider the current economy as excellent or good. [9:50] Despite President Trump's promise to bring down prices, the cost of living is increasing, especially the cost of groceries. [9:58] What can you do as senator to finally lower prices and make everyday essentials more affordable? [10:05] Mr. Fry, we'll start with you. [10:07] I think it's important that we all get back to the basics. [10:10] I focus on a family first agenda. [10:13] And part of that, one of those tenets is certainly security, people feeling safe in their communities. [10:18] But it's also the economy. [10:19] Again, how I grew up, I'm not wealthy. [10:21] I'm not a wealthy man. [10:23] But I know what the challenge is and how that feels when you're working hard for every dollar just to try to stay afloat. [10:29] I think it's important that we have more energy production in this country. [10:33] Energy is the biggest driver of a lot of the angst that people feel. [10:38] I think that really is a key. [10:39] I think we need to get Washington bureaucrats out of the way so that our farmers can do the job that they want to do and provide food for our families. [10:48] These are all hallmarks of a very simple, and chief among those is keep your taxes low. [10:53] Thank you very much. [10:54] Mr. Norman, what would you do to improve affordability? [10:56] First of all, you've got to realize President Trump inherited an economy that was a disaster from the Biden administration. [11:04] Look what he's done in the short time he's been in office. [11:08] He's stopped the flow of illegal immigration into this country. [11:11] The big, beautiful bill, which gave the taxpayers more of their money back. [11:17] I helped make it even stronger. [11:18] So, you know, when the war is over, prices will come down, and I think he will make it more affordable just with his policies in general. [11:28] And, again, it's taken a while to recover from what Joe Biden did intentionally. [11:34] Mrs. Graham, what would you do to improve affordability on everything from housing to daycare? [11:38] If anybody understands the struggles of South Carolinians, it's me. [11:42] We have over 5 million people in South Carolina. [11:46] Fifty percent of them live paycheck to paycheck. [11:49] Sixty percent of them don't have a rainy day fund, which means they can't make it three months. [11:54] They don't have enough money to pay the bills for three months. [11:57] Unfortunately, I'm in that 60 percentile. [12:00] I've been in that 50 percentile for a long time. [12:03] I trust President Trump. [12:05] I know he's working on things. [12:06] I think the farm bill would be very helpful to help the farmers to drive down the cost of groceries. [12:12] Bringing jobs back to America. [12:14] President Trump has done a great job with that, and I certainly support that. [12:19] And competition in health care, transparency in pricing on medical procedures. [12:24] Thank you very much. [12:25] We appreciate it. [12:25] Mr. Lynch, what specific policy ideas do you have to bring affordability in? [12:29] As a successful debt-free businessman and having traveled the state for over 15 months in this campaign that we're back in to finish, [12:37] we've heard from South Carolinians that are suffering their pain points. [12:41] How do we get rid of the affordability problems? [12:44] Number one, stop spending. [12:45] That's what I have to do in my business. [12:47] We can't print money out of thin air. [12:49] We've got to also bust up these monopolies that are price-fixing the homes, [12:53] like one of our Clemson young Republicans brought up. [12:56] He said, Mr. Lynch, I appreciate your stance on immigration and closing the border, [13:00] but I'm an engineering major, and I'm going to be competing against foreign students that their country paid for their tuition to come to this country. [13:08] They'll take my job for half the pay, robbing me of my future, and I was born in this country. [13:15] We've got to end H-1B visas. [13:16] Thank you very much. [13:17] Mr. Sanford, your ideas on addressing affordability. [13:19] I would say many things, but if you look at our record when I was governor, we saw the first cut to the grocery tax. [13:27] We saw the first cut to property tax. [13:28] We saw the largest recurring tax in South Carolina history. [13:32] I could go down a long list in terms of trying to watch out for the taxpayer. [13:36] It's relevant in this instance. [13:38] If you look at the 10-year Treasury right now, it's crowding up, raising mortgage rates, [13:42] which makes life less affordable for the average American. [13:45] And so I don't think we can have our cake and eat it, too. [13:48] You can't say, I completely agree with the president on all matters and not see the spending problem that is in D.C. [13:55] You know, Republicans have been bad on it and Democrats have been bad on it. [13:59] Have the Democrats been worse? [14:00] Absolutely. [14:01] But we have a spending problem in D.C. that is born of both parties, [14:04] and that's where I think I bring something unique to the table. [14:07] Thank you very much. [14:07] Let's get to our next question. [14:09] This question comes from Kelly Nash with iHeartRadio right here in Columbia. [14:13] You know, the national debt is now running at about $7.7 billion per day, [14:20] which for every taxpayer in America is like $50 a day of extra debt that we're taking on. [14:25] What would you do to lead us back to fiscal responsibility? [14:29] Well, several of you have already mentioned the debt. [14:31] So, Mr. Norman, welcome to you. [14:33] First of all, the debt, the interest on the debt of $43 trillion, [14:37] or pick a figure above that, exceeds our military spending. [14:43] We can't sustain that. [14:44] I hate it if we continue the spending spree that we're on, [14:48] and it's by Democrats and Republicans, [14:50] but particularly by the Democrats who want to end our way of government. [14:54] So, you do more of the Doge Commission, but you've got to act on it. [14:59] They found hundreds of billions of dollars, and what could Congress do? [15:03] Only come up with $9 billion. [15:04] So, we've got to balance any new spending with cuts like you do in the businesses, [15:09] and like every family has to do in their business. [15:12] Mrs. Graham, your ideas for leading us to fiscal responsibility? [15:16] Right now, our national debt is over $39 trillion. [15:20] So, I think we're going to have to stop growing government and grow the economy instead. [15:28] We need, Trump has already done a great job, President Trump has done a great job cutting fraud, [15:34] stopping duplication in government. [15:36] I'm big, I was big here in South Carolina on not being a proponent of duplication of government in South Carolina. [15:44] To me, that's wasting taxpayers' dollars. [15:48] So, just cutting fraud, cutting spending, growing the economy, bringing jobs back to America. [15:55] And again, President Trump has done a great job on that. [15:58] Well, Mr. Lynch, President Trump did promise to cut the national debt, [16:01] but as everyone has pointed out, it's been escalating. [16:03] So, what's the problem and what's the fix? [16:05] You know, one of the problems, like Mr. Norman voted on a bill that put $3.1 billion to support migration [16:14] and illegal immigrants coming into this country. [16:17] That's money we don't have that we're paying to help the problem escalate. [16:22] These immigrants, illegal aliens that are coming in here, 50 million legal immigrants are here, [16:30] and 70% of them are on welfare that we're all paying for. [16:33] We're paying for the demise of our debt to grow and grow and grow, [16:37] and nobody's attacking the problem at the root level that's causing it. [16:41] America First is supporting America, not illegal funding to bring them into this country. [16:48] Thank you very much. [16:48] Mr. Sanford, you mentioned this in your, well, Mr. Norman, did you want a 30-second rebuttal? [16:53] Yeah. [16:54] Mr. Lynch, I've been voted the most conservative member of Congress ever since I've been there. [16:59] I voted against the open borders. [17:03] So to make that claim is silly, and I guess silly season is here on bogus claims, [17:10] and I would never get the ratings that I've gotten by any means, by any agency. [17:15] So it's just bogus what you're talking about. [17:18] All right. [17:18] Thank you, sir. [17:19] We'll go back to Mr. Sanford. [17:20] The main question about the debt, you brought this up in your opening statement, [17:22] your ideas to address and rein in the national debt. [17:26] It goes back to rolling up the elbow, the sleeves, and elbow grease. [17:32] I mean, this is what I did as governor. [17:34] We held the line on government spending during the eight years I was governor [17:38] as no governor has before or since. [17:42] And therefore, with due respect to, for instance, my colleague, Congressman Fry, [17:46] you know, he was overriding vetoes of, for instance, Nikki Haley or, for instance, Governor McMaster. [17:55] And what we can't do is more of the talk on this front because it's easy to talk about limited government spending. [18:03] But I remember carrying two pigs, one under each arm, [18:05] to decry pork barrel spending ahead of that which we were constitutionally mandated to do [18:10] in holding the line on spending. [18:11] Thank you very much. [18:12] It's paid more than work. [18:12] Mr. Fry, you have the floor to address this historic surge we've seen in the national debt. [18:17] Now, think about my son, James, nine years old. [18:20] What is the future that he will have and inherit? [18:22] Every generation of Americans have handed this country off a little bit better than they found it. [18:27] And is this going to be the first generation that says, sorry, guys, we messed up? [18:31] We have to get the national debt right. [18:33] I think the key, a first step, and I've supported this and voted for it, [18:37] is we've got to have a balanced budget amendment. [18:39] But beyond that, too, it is easy to talk about cutting spending. [18:42] The GAO estimates that $500 billion walks out of the U.S. Treasury every single year in waste, fraud, and abuse. [18:50] That sounds like a good place to start. [18:52] Doge is another good place to start. [18:55] And, you know, it's not enough just to simply cut. [18:57] We have to do that. [18:59] But we have to grow the economy for the middle class. [19:02] Make sure that we have energy. [19:03] Thank you very much. [19:04] Our time has expired. [19:05] Let's get to our next question. [19:06] This one comes from Anna Harris at WCSE in Charleston. [19:10] South Carolina's utility grid is facing unprecedented strain from rapid data center and industrial growth. [19:18] As senator, how are you going to balance attracting these energy-intensive businesses [19:22] and ensuring reliable, affordable power and water for everyday South Carolinians? [19:29] Mrs. Graham, we'll start with you. [19:30] The president recently made the statement that communities around the country need to get with the program, [19:35] with data centers, if we have certain protections in place. [19:37] Do you agree with him? [19:38] And what does that look like under your policy? [19:40] I do agree with him. [19:42] We can't let China get ahead in this technology competition. [19:47] They can't control AI. [19:49] They can't control technology. [19:52] I think we need to build data centers here. [19:55] And I think the tech companies should build the power plants to supply the data centers [20:01] because that way it doesn't drive up utility costs for the average American or the average South Carolinian. [20:08] Now, you know, the Democrats, they don't want the data centers because, you know why? [20:13] Because they don't like the noise of the data centers. [20:15] But we have to remain competitive against China. [20:19] That's just a fact. [20:20] Mr. Lynch, what makes sense to you in terms of balancing data centers with the need for affordable power and water? [20:27] Yes. [20:27] Data centers have become a big issue as I've traveled the state. [20:31] It is a pain point for South Carolinians. [20:33] We're tired of waking up and seeing 100 acres of trees bulldozed. [20:37] And we're told the data center is going to go right next to our neighborhood. [20:41] It is horrible noise pollution. [20:43] They're robbing our water. [20:45] It takes millions of gallons to cool the data centers. [20:47] And it's causing our electric utilities to increase. [20:51] We already have a problem with inflation and affordability, and we've got to look at that. [20:55] So we've got to have the local communities have a say on where they're put. [21:00] And we're bringing in flock cameras now, and that's a major problem. [21:04] And we're moving towards a surveillance state with flock cameras. [21:08] I'm the only one talking about that. [21:10] And that's a horrible thing of an invasion of our American citizens' privacy. [21:13] Thank you very much. [21:14] Thank you very much, Mr. Sanford. [21:16] Your policy is regarding data centers and how to balance it with local community needs. [21:20] Yeah, I mean, I think it's a two-fold answer. [21:22] I think at the national level, you need one piece of legislation that gets us in line [21:29] in looking at the ways in which the United States is going to compete with China. [21:33] We cannot fall second to China on this front. [21:36] But tied to that, you need this notion of federalism, of local control. [21:41] I think the DeSantis administration in Florida got it right, wherein they said, [21:45] okay, we want to have a standard, but when it comes to where the data center goes, [21:49] that is a local decision. [21:51] And you cannot have a data center taking local water or driving up local electric prices [21:56] to the exclusion of a local voice in that process. [22:00] So I think it's a bifurcated answer. [22:03] Again, a federal policy that encourages, but local control. [22:06] Thank you very much, Mr. Pryor. [22:07] The president recently said that smart communities are begging for data centers. [22:10] Do you agree? [22:11] And what do the protocols and guidelines look like in your plan? [22:14] I think two things can be true at the same time. [22:17] One, we're in a race with China on who is going to control AI, [22:22] who's going to control these technological advances. [22:24] And so the use of data centers is incredibly important from a national perspective. [22:28] But also, too, people are concerned and rightfully. [22:32] Data centers aren't meant for every community. [22:34] If they're right for a certain community, then they should have one. [22:36] If they don't want one, then they shouldn't have to be forced to swallow that. [22:41] And so President Trump's agenda on this is quite clear. [22:44] Data centers must pay their own way in power. [22:47] They must pay their own way in water. [22:48] They can't be noisy and have noise pollution. [22:51] They need to make sure that they are not onerous, [22:53] but they've got to have the least amount of footprint possible [22:57] and make sure that they're not sucking up the resources that our citizens enjoy. [23:01] Thank you very much. [23:02] Mr. Norman, your stance on data centers in South Carolina? [23:04] Data centers are going to have to explain the amount of water usage, electrical usage. [23:10] Each community is going to have to take ownership in it. [23:12] You can't just let them run wild. [23:14] As far as our utility rates, the monopolies are controlling it. [23:17] We have the calls that I get from that single mom, from that business owner, [23:24] the utility rates are skyrocketing. [23:26] Nuclear energy is the wave of the future, but it's got to be done in an educated way. [23:31] In South Carolina, we have a problem with public-private groups getting involved with our energy, [23:39] and we've got to make sure that it's affordable, [23:42] and before any public dollars are spent, we know where it's going. [23:46] All right. Thank you very much. [23:48] Let's move to our next question. [23:49] It comes from Wendy Damron with the Palmetto Promise Institute. [23:54] Many of you have expressed support for the SAVE Act, [23:57] but Senate Majority Leader John Thune says Republicans do not have the votes to overcome a filibuster [24:03] or change Senate rules to pass it. [24:06] If elected, what is your realistic path to getting the legislation enacted? [24:10] All right, Mr. Lynch, this time we'll start with you, [24:13] and just to reiterate, the question is what is your realistic path to getting the legislation enacted? [24:18] Yes, we've got to have a SAVE Act, and it's a shame we have to have it with all the illegal aliens [24:23] that have come into this country with 40 million illegals here under this mass deportation exercise. [24:30] So we absolutely have to have an ID and proof of citizenship, but that's all. [24:36] We've got to have a clean SAVE Act. [24:38] It doesn't need to be tied to more pork and other things. [24:41] They're sneaking in. [24:42] We had the NDAA connected to that recently, and that passed in the House, [24:49] and it came out from the government that we passed the SAVE Act. [24:52] Well, we can't merge our military intelligence with any other foreign country [24:57] and give them all of our secrets. [24:59] That's losing American sovereignty in our country that we have to protect. [25:04] That's America first. [25:05] Thank you very much. [25:06] Mr. Sanford, your position on the SAVE Act? [25:07] I'd just say we're living in crazy times. [25:11] I mean, the fact that the mayor of New York now wants to require an ID [25:16] to use one of the government-sanctioned grocery stores in New York, [25:20] yet you don't need an ID to take a vote, I mean, this just makes no sense to me. [25:25] So I support the SAVE Act, and I, you know, would say, you know, [25:29] John Thune doesn't have the Republican votes. [25:31] I think it goes back to having stalwart Republican votes on core conservative issues, [25:36] and that's where, again, I would ask people to look at my voting record. [25:39] Not my words, but my voting record and what we were able to do when I was governor [25:44] in enacting and forwarding policies that ultimately bettered people's lives here in South Carolina. [25:49] Thank you very much. [25:50] And, Mr. Fry, obviously you're already in office. [25:53] What's been the gridlock, and how would you push through it? [25:56] This is the problem with Washington, D.C., and quite frankly, it's the problem with the Senate. [26:00] You have a product called the SAVE America Act that 80% of the American people plus agree with, [26:05] that you should have an ID to vote, that you should be a citizen in order to vote in American elections. [26:11] It's passed the House at this point four times, four, and the Senate has done nothing. [26:16] That is the problem, that somehow it's partisan and divisive when it crosses the Potomac. [26:22] The Senate needs to be shaken up. [26:24] The old way of doing things is not the way that we need to do things now. [26:27] And if that means changing the rules of the Senate and changing the filibuster, [26:32] then we absolutely have to do that. [26:33] There are 200 bills in the Senate right now from the House waiting to be picked up by the Senate. [26:38] They're not doing anything. [26:40] Mr. Norman, obviously we already have voter ID. [26:42] Why do you believe the SAVE Act is important, and what would you do to help secure the passage? [26:47] The SAVE Act, to even have to discuss this, and for this not to pass the Senate is an abomination. [26:53] The founders would be unbunished that this is happening. [26:57] You know, I will do whatever it takes to make the case for abolishing the filibuster. [27:03] Keep them up all night. [27:05] Wake them up, keep them up, and make them talk. [27:07] If the walking filibuster won't work, try any other means that we have to come up with. [27:13] We're trying it. [27:14] We passed it three or four times in the House. [27:16] We're going to try it through reconciliation where you only have to have 50 votes, 51 votes with the Vice President. [27:22] At any means, this is the most important bill in this country, the protecting our elections and making sure Americans vote, and only Americans vote. [27:32] And Mrs. Graham, same question. [27:35] One of the first things I did was co-sponsor the SAVE America Act. [27:38] As I said earlier, I'm willing to stay through recess to get it done. [27:42] What's up with recess anyway? [27:45] Who gets a month off from work? [27:47] I think we should stay up there and work and get it done. [27:51] You have to have an ID to check out a library book about alcohol. [27:55] You don't have to have an ID to vote. [27:57] That's absurd. [27:59] In New Jersey, they had 6,600 people, non-citizens registered to vote, and several hundred of them did vote in our election. [28:10] And I am all for, this is where I differ from my brother, getting rid of the filibuster to get this done, [28:16] because eventually the Democrats are going to get rid of it anyway. [28:20] All right, our next question comes from Eric Weisfeld at WMBF in Myrtle Beach. [28:26] Republicans have already tried and failed to repeal Obamacare. [28:30] Democrats are pushing for Medicare for all. [28:32] No doubt health care is already shaping up to be a big issue in November. [28:36] What is your answer for fixing America's health care system? [28:40] Mr. Sanford, we'll start with you. [28:43] What are your plans and policies for addressing the health care crisis? [28:47] Well, when I was in Congress, I actually authored the alternative to Obamacare. [28:50] It was a conservative solution, and it was contingent and rested upon this idea of personalized savings accounts, [28:57] of a variety of things. [29:00] But that was really the linchpin, because if you look at this idea of changing the dynamic, [29:04] and there's unlimited demand to spend basically somebody else's money. [29:09] And that's what we have in place with the third-party payer system. [29:12] And this was moving us to a primary payer system, wherein people would have a savings account, [29:17] be able to draw down on that account, and see the savings that go with the restraint that goes with spending your own money. [29:24] It had a number of other things tied to tort reform and to, in essence, [29:30] enabling the customer to have more choices in the marketplace. [29:33] And time has expired. [29:34] Thank you very much. [29:35] Mr. Fry, your ideas for making health care more affordable and accessible? [29:39] I think it starts, actually, in rural health care. [29:41] And one big, beautiful bill, there's a rural health care fund that was created. [29:44] I think that is absolutely key, to have access in a rural community. [29:47] It shouldn't take you three hours to drive to the nearest hospital when there is an emergency. [29:51] I think supporting rural communities is absolutely vital. [29:54] Beyond that, there's tremendous fraud, as we have seen in some of these government reports, in health care. [30:00] We have states that are bilking the federal treasury billions of dollars every single year. [30:04] If we're going to sustain Medicare and Medicaid, we need to make sure that they are solvent [30:10] and that they are doing the job as intended. [30:13] Democrats want to bankrupt that system. [30:15] So we have to eliminate the fraud and the waste. [30:17] We have to get states on parity with the cost. [30:20] That's how you save health care and lower cost. [30:22] Price transparency is a big key of that, too. [30:25] Thank you very much. [30:25] And Mr. Norman? [30:27] You know, one thing that I think most Americans can agree on, Obamacare is not working. [30:31] You remember when Pelosi said you've got to pass it before you read it? [30:36] It's not working. [30:37] What we've got to do is get back to health savings accounts or deductibility for businesses. [30:42] We have to give all Americans a reason to pick what they want covered instead of mandatory coverage. [30:49] And as has been said, the waste, fraud, and abuse that's all over this country. [30:54] And that's just the tip of the iceberg. [30:56] But bottom line is we've got to get the health care that fits everyday Americans. [31:00] It's not working now. [31:01] The premiums are out of control. [31:03] For that single mom and that business who's struggling to pay the premiums, we've got to come up with a plan that's working and get it through the House and the Senate. [31:11] Thank you very much, Mrs. Graham. [31:13] Your specific ideas for making health care more accessible and affordable for South Carolinians? [31:18] First, I want to say we do have to protect Medicare for elders. [31:22] That for sure. [31:23] But health care costs are killing South Carolinians. [31:27] It can easily bankrupt a family. [31:30] I have two daughters with serious health care issues. [31:33] One has had brain surgery, and she continues to be in and out of the emergency room. [31:39] So medical bills are just racking up, and it is crazy. [31:43] We have to do something about it. [31:46] Transparency and pricing, I think, is one way. [31:49] If you have a medical procedure, you need to know up front the cost of it so that you can shop around. [31:55] If you go buy groceries or go buy a car, you know the price so that you can shop around. [31:59] This creates competition and drives down the cost. [32:03] Thank you very much. [32:04] And, Mr. Lynch, your answer on this issue. [32:07] Yes, absolutely. [32:08] Obamacare has been a disaster. [32:10] Dave Ramsey talked about it. [32:11] If we're going to pay for everybody's health care, it's math. [32:14] It's going to go up for everybody. [32:16] Those of us who can afford to pay it, it's really still out of reach, and it's out of reach for many families. [32:22] There's a price-fixing issue in the industry. [32:24] Every time we renew our health care and our business, we look at several agencies, the price is the same from everybody. [32:31] The competition's been eliminated. [32:34] The doctors are buying for their fair share. [32:36] There's a cash price and an insurance price, which is crazy. [32:40] And when you have a bill that's 10,000 pages, there's all kind of pork that got in there that nobody ever even read. [32:46] There's no way to read that. [32:47] Obama threatened to close the country down and close the government down unless we sign the bill. [32:53] That's not how we do business. [32:54] Thank you very much. [32:55] Our time has expired. [32:56] Our next question now from Joey Hudson at Word Radio in the upstate. [33:00] Border security remains one of the top concerns among Republican voters. [33:03] Beyond simply securing the border, what should Congress do about the millions of people who've already entered our country illegally? [33:10] Mr. Frye. [33:12] Well, I think it starts with funding. [33:14] I mean, I think it starts with supporting our law enforcement and backing the blue in our communities. [33:18] I think we've done that in the one big, beautiful bill in Homeland Security funding provisions. [33:22] Look, if we don't have a border, we don't have a country. [33:24] It's very important to get this right. [33:26] But if you look at this, it doesn't just stop at border security. [33:29] We have to close the loopholes that Biden used to import millions of people into this country. [33:35] I think about the cost of rent for our family. [33:37] That has driven up because of illegal immigrants in our community. [33:41] I think about the hospital that people are trying to have their first child at that's being taken up because there's an illegal immigrant in this country. [33:48] Use the tools, change the rules, get rid of these asylum and parole loopholes, and deport the people that don't belong here. [33:58] Thank you very much. [33:59] Mr. Norman, what would you support in terms of border security? [34:02] Well, what the president's doing is right. [34:03] You finish building the wall. [34:05] You have a system that you get the illegals out of the country. [34:08] And I remember visiting the border early on, and food, medicine, clothes were stacked up. [34:15] Look at the cost that is being borne by Americans who had no say-so in this. [34:20] The Biden administration did this to create a voting bloc so that it would keep them in power. [34:26] So get them out. [34:28] Make sure sanctuary cities are not funded. [34:30] If you don't abide with the police officers, don't fund them. [34:33] That's a way we can save some money and put common sense back into it. [34:38] But he's doing the right thing, and despite media disapproval, he's doing the right thing with that. [34:45] Mrs. Graham, where do you stand on this issue? [34:46] This one's easy. [34:47] This is, I think, another reason President Trump endorsed me. [34:50] I'll be glad to stand with President Trump. [34:53] Anybody that's here illegally, they need to be walked right back out of our country immediately. [34:59] I'm all for supporting and funding ICE. [35:02] I support law enforcement. [35:04] President Trump has done a great job protecting our borders. [35:08] These people come in. [35:10] They take our jobs. [35:11] They run up the cost of health care because they're receiving free health care. [35:15] So, again, I think President Trump has done a fabulous job protecting our borders, and I'll continue to stand with him. [35:21] Mr. Lynch, any daylight between you and your other candidates here on this issue? [35:25] We have career politicians on the stage. [35:28] Mr. Fry was obviously from Mass Amnesty by endorsing Lindsey Graham. [35:32] And Mr. Norman voted on an Allies Act that brought 8,000 illegal Afghans into our country. [35:39] That's a national security threat, what we're talking about. [35:42] And it's time to bring somebody in that will do the right thing, will stand up to this. [35:47] Our immigration policies are wrong. [35:49] We need to have a moratorium and get caught up and get with ICE and bring in the 287G programs to local city police and sheriffs that allows them to arrest, attain, and deport illegal aliens like ICE does. [36:03] They need a hand, and we need to support that with our local police departments. [36:07] Thank you very much. [36:08] A rebuttal first, Mr. Fry, and then Mr. Norman. [36:10] 30 seconds. [36:11] I don't really know what he's talking about with Mass Amnesty, quite frankly. [36:13] I support Lindsey Graham in the first primary because he stood with President Trump, with the Trump agenda, and he was a stalwart. [36:21] He did a lot for the people of this state. [36:22] And quite frankly, I looked at this particular race with you and said, wow, that's the opponent? [36:29] That's somebody who wants to legalize illicit drugs in our communities? [36:32] That's not what South Carolina wants. [36:34] I'm going to stick with my president. [36:35] I'm going to stick with my senior senator. [36:37] And Mr. Norman, your rebuttal, 30 seconds. [36:41] Mr. Lynch, I have no idea what you're talking about. [36:43] To say that I support illegal immigration and voted on bills, that's just not true. [36:48] Again, it's a silly season with those who are trying to make issues out of nonexistent issues. [36:53] No, immigration is a huge problem in this country. [36:56] We're going to try to, the president is fixing it, and I stick with him. [36:59] I will vote every time to get this country back on track with legal immigration, not illegal immigration. [37:07] All right, and Mr. Sanford, we need to come to you on this question. [37:09] We need to reserve time to make sure everybody gets their closing statements, so if you have a rebuttal, include it there. [37:14] But, Mr. Sanford, your position on border security? [37:17] Absolutely agree and have voted accordingly on the importance of border security. [37:22] Secure border is indeed a key to sovereignty itself. [37:25] Same on sanctuary cities, same on adequately funding law enforcement, so the enforcement measures here in the country. [37:33] But I think, again, one of the distinguishing elements of where I come from is the results. [37:39] In the same way that you saw in the governorship in actually holding the line on spending, what you saw in this issue is the real ID. [37:45] We enacted it when I was governor, and it had a material effect. [37:48] A lot of governors weren't doing it, a material effect, because now you were not just trying to catch the bad guys. [37:54] You were basically empowering local employers to say, I'm sorry, we can't hire you, because if not, they're going to come looking for us. [38:01] I think real ID was, again, a helpful tool. [38:03] All right, thank you very much. [38:03] Our final question from Justin Doherty in the upstate. [38:06] The war in Iran continues. [38:09] When it began, it was said it would only last four to five weeks. [38:13] But now, it just entered its sixth month. [38:17] American troops continue to be killed in the Middle East, and the cost of the war continues to increase. [38:23] Do you think it is now time to end the war in Iran? [38:26] And if so, how do you want to see it end? [38:30] And again, candidates, we do not have time for rebuttal, so if you can focus precisely on this question about ending the war in Iran, Mr. Norman. [38:37] Yeah, I mean, Iran has been at war with America for 44 years. [38:40] They killed American troops during that time. [38:43] The fact the president has taken out the number one sponsor of terror, compare that to what Biden did, Obama did, pay cash, he didn't do that. [38:53] He's disabled most of the military. [38:56] It has gone on longer, but the president is doing everything he can. [39:00] There are military generals now that are saying to really eliminate them, they're going to have to put boots on the ground. [39:06] I don't think the country wants that right now. [39:08] I think that he will eventually, sooner rather than later, use whatever power from the air to take him out, and I think it's the right course to take. [39:17] Mrs. Graham, is it time to end the war in Iran? [39:19] If so, how? [39:21] I completely agree with President Trump on standing with Israel. [39:26] They are an extremely important ally of the United States. [39:30] We cannot allow terrorists to build nuclear missiles because they're going to want to kill Americans. [39:38] That's just the sad truth. [39:40] If they build the nuclear missiles, their goal is to come here and kill us. [39:44] So the more we can fight them over there and prevent it over there, the better for the United States. [39:49] I'm all for peace through strength. [39:52] I believe in peace through strength for sure. [39:54] The Democrats, on the other hand, want to defund everything, jeopardize our entire country, our national security, so we would be in a huge mess. [40:07] Thank you very much. [40:08] Mr. Lentz, your position on the war in Iran? [40:10] I support the commander-in-chief, President Trump, to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. [40:16] Having said that, we've been over there, we've gone in, we've had precise, strategic, tactical attacks, and we can't allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. [40:29] Having done that, it's time to bring our men and women home to get them out of harm's way and get back to what's important here in America. [40:37] And that's attacking the prices of our fuel, bringing that back down, and increasing affordability so that our young generation, when they leave and go out, they can afford to buy a home and pay for their gas and pay for their groceries again and have the dream we've all enjoyed in this country. [40:53] Thank you very much, Mr. Sanford. [40:55] Is it time to end the war? [40:56] If so, how? [40:57] It's a different decision. [40:59] So I applaud the president, again, going after a nuclear Iran, something that can happen. [41:05] I applaud his effort to wipe out terrorism from that part of the world, but it is my very strong belief, and this is personal, when I was governor, I tried to go to every funeral, I didn't make every one, of servicemen lost in the Middle East that were being brought home. [41:21] And it's a very humbling experience to be in the church or in somebody's house as they've lost a loved one. [41:27] Only Congress has the authority to declare war. [41:30] This decision needs to be made by Congress, and I have a long history against the Obama administration and the Clinton administration in saying this decision, because body bags don't go back to Washington, they come back to home states and international districts, this decision needs to be made out. [41:45] Thank you very much. Mr. Price, is there any daylight between you and your opponents on this issue? [41:48] I think a nuclear Iran is something that is completely unfathomable to conceive, because what they would do with a nuclear weapon is destabilize the Middle East, threaten our regional partners, and threaten the West. [42:00] President Trump inherited this problem. This can has been kicked down the road for decades, and he took action to stop that. [42:08] I think we need to finish the mission, because where we are right now is that Iran needs to be defanged. [42:14] You want to hate us? Go ahead and hate us. [42:16] But you do that without having the military capability to strike commerce, threaten the Strait of Hormuz, and regional partners. [42:23] And so no boots on the ground. I'm not a believer in that. [42:26] My brother served in Iraq, and I've lost friends in foreign wars, but we can finish the mission by defanging Iran and making sure they have no capabilities left. [42:34] Thank you very much. Candidates, when we come back, we'll have one final question as a part of your closing statements to make your final pitch to South Carolina voters. [42:42] We'll be back right after this. [42:52] Welcome back to our closing segment of the SCGOP debate. [42:55] Candidates, I'd like to use the closing statements to address a critical issue in South Carolina that directly affects families, businesses, and hospitals. [43:03] As all of you know, South Carolina is one of the few states that has not expanded Medicaid, though our taxpaying funds, our federal dollars here in South Carolina, are going to pay for it across the country. [43:13] So the question is this. Obviously, opponents say that it grows in government, but supporters say that expanding Medicaid would provide more coverage for working adults. [43:22] My question is this. Which carries more weight in your mind? [43:26] And in your closing statement, provide an answer in terms of how your plan represents the best future for South Carolina. [43:33] Mr. Sanford, 90 seconds. [43:34] It's the age-old question of government, which is, if we just have a little bit more, then we can do just a little bit more. [43:43] But the reality is that we are at the tipping point of the civilization wherein we have to say enough is enough. [43:49] You know, it took us 193 years to accumulate a trillion dollars of debt, and yet over the next 100 days, we'll add another 100 and add another trillion dollars of debt. [44:00] I mean, the numbers are astounding. [44:01] And so the question, I think, that really is before all of us is, how do we do something about it? [44:07] I would vote for every candidate here based on what they've said. [44:10] The question is, what have they done? [44:11] And if you look at our record on a whole host of different issues tied to, again, limiting government, maximizing freedom, and this old-fashioned notion of liberty, [44:23] I think that you would see remarkable results in actually holding the line on government spending, which I think is the real ill of Washington. [44:32] Again, with due respect to Republicans in Washington, D.C., they've not been doing that. [44:37] And, you know, President Trump needs help on that front. [44:40] And so I would just say look at our record and what we were able to do. [44:43] We, again, held the line on government spending as no governor has before or since. [44:48] And it has real-world implications when you think about this notion of affordability for families across the state. [44:54] When you think about this larger notion of the American dream and how we all might be able to achieve it. [44:59] We have got to turn around this spending train wreck, if you will, in Washington, D.C., and I would ask you to look at my record on that front. [45:06] Thank you very much, Mr. Lynch. [45:07] Your position on this issue of Medicaid expansion. [45:10] Yes. [45:10] You know, we've got to take care of our old citizens in this country in the golden years of their life. [45:16] But we've got to investigate and analyze what's going on currently with Medicaid and find the waste, abuse, and fraud within that industry also. [45:24] We can't continue to let things go on and not know what's going on. [45:28] We have to keep it accountable. [45:30] We have to inspect it and require inspections to be done instead of finding out all the fraud like we've heard in the country [45:36] with all these other organizations that the government has and protect Social Security for our senior citizens. [45:43] On the issue, I want to talk about, you know, what Mr. Frye said and rebut back to that. [45:50] And 42 years ago, I came to the end of myself. [45:53] I was broken in every way, spiritually, financially, emotionally, every way. [45:59] I came to the end of a drug addiction issue. [46:01] And since then, I met my wife in a recovery program. [46:04] We have counseled thousands of addicts out of the lives of addiction into freedom in Christ. [46:10] So there's no way, no way that I'm for legalizing marijuana and cocaine. [46:17] That came from the Lindsey Graham camp back then. [46:19] That was an attack. [46:20] It was lies. [46:21] That's how they do these things because I'm a serious candidate and they try to push me down. [46:26] And they spent over $50 million doing that. [46:29] And Mr. Norman calls this as foolish. [46:31] In 2021, he did vote for the Allies Act that allowed 8,000 illegal Afghan immigrants coming to here after an embarrassing evacuation out of Afghanistan. [46:41] And your time has expired. [46:42] Mr. Frye, your position on this issue of Medicaid expansion and your closing argument to voters. [46:48] Real quick, I think South Carolina is doing the fiscally prudent thing, which is not to expand Medicaid. [46:52] Because at the end of that journey, that's going to cost the state far more. [46:57] And states are feeling the pinch of that already because they decided to do that. [47:00] Look, the United States Senate is no place for on-the-job training. [47:04] And there's no place for going up and voting no and thinking that you've done something meaningful. [47:09] The old ways of the Senate are broken. [47:12] We have to change the way that things are done. [47:14] South Carolina deserves a fighter as its next U.S. Senator, somebody who will stand alongside President Trump. [47:21] I'm the only one on this stage with a record of passing legislation in furtherance of President Trump's agenda. [47:28] My mission is clear in the United States Senate. [47:30] We need to keep men out of women's sports, pass the Save America Act, increase energy production, protect the rights of the unborn, [47:38] protect your Second Amendment rights, and put more money back in your pocket. [47:42] You can elect a politician to go up to Washington and push yes or no and collect a paycheck. [47:50] Or you can elect somebody who is battle-tested in getting results for the people of this state. [47:56] I didn't inherit a record. I earned it. [47:59] And a record is not a finish line. It is a starting point. [48:03] You know, my son James is nine years old. [48:06] And my wife and I often wonder, is this going to be the first generation that hands this country off worse than they found it? [48:13] I don't think so. [48:13] I think our opportunity is right now. [48:16] But it's about sending a fighter, somebody committed to President Trump's agenda, to Washington to fight for you. [48:22] And Mrs. Graham, do you see any value in terms of expanding Medicaid to provide more coverage for working adults in your closing statement to voters? [48:29] I caution against expanding Medicaid because that's going to increase taxes. [48:34] But what I want to say is I'm different from most politicians. [48:39] Obviously, I'm not a politician. [48:41] I never saw myself being a politician. [48:43] We all know why I'm here. [48:45] I actually think it's part of God's plan. [48:47] I know most of these guys have 30 or 40 years' experience combined. [48:53] And again, I'm not a politician. [48:55] I'm not a millionaire. [48:56] I understand the average struggles of the American family. [49:00] I am pro-life. [49:01] I don't believe in boys' and men's girls' sports. [49:06] I don't believe they belong in the locker rooms. [49:09] I think that's just dangerous. [49:11] I believe in protecting the Second Amendment. [49:14] And I'm a bargain shopper because I have to be. [49:17] And I'll do anything it takes to help pass the Save America Act because I think it's that important. [49:23] And I don't know if I can rebut, but Mr. Lynch mentioned Lindsey Graham multiple times. [49:29] And I don't know if he's just afraid Lindsey beat him and now his little sister's going to beat him. [49:35] But I just don't like hearing that. [49:37] And the floor is yours on Medicaid expansion and your closing statement to voters. [49:41] No, we're not agreed on Medicaid expansion. [49:44] We've got so much waste, fraud, and abuse. [49:46] And, you know, look at where we are on our Social Security. [49:48] There's a host of other agencies that are going to have to be dealt with from a spending standpoint. [49:53] Look, we've got a spiritual problem in this country for the heart and soul to save this country. [49:59] All of these, these aren't our enemies that I'm standing with today. [50:03] It's the radical Democrats we've got to beat. [50:06] I am the only one that can take on the Democrats in November. [50:10] I've got a solid 40-year business career. [50:12] I've got a conservative record that is second to none by any rating agency. [50:18] I've got the courage as I had to stand up when the frontline doctors, I stood hand in hand with them. [50:25] It's a topic of conversation now. [50:27] I will go in the Senate and I will wake them up. [50:31] I will stand up and I will speak up because it can't keep going like it's going. [50:36] And I will tell you, milquetoast moderates will not make it to get this country back what we need. [50:45] I'm tired of moderates. [50:47] I'm tired of those who smile and keep saying they're going to do the same thing over and over again. [50:52] Look at my record. [50:53] You've seen me fight. [50:54] You've seen me what I do when I've taken the tough votes, which I will take. [50:59] Nobody else on this stage can say that. [51:02] But our real problem is the Democrats who we have to stop, and I will do that in November. [51:07] All right, candidates, thank you very much. [51:09] We want to thank our panelists as well. [51:11] We especially want to thank our audience who joined us on air and online this evening. [51:15] As a reminder, early voting in this special SCGOP Senate primary opens this Wednesday [51:22] and runs August 5th through August 7th this week, 8.30 a.m. until 5 p.m. [51:29] Check your county polling locations for locations and hours. [51:33] Also, this special primary is on Tuesday, August 11th. [51:37] Of course, on Election Day, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. [51:42] We encourage every eligible voter in South Carolina to make a plan to cast your ballot [51:47] and make sure that your voice is heard. [51:50] On behalf of us at Gray Media, thank you for watching and good night.