COLUMBIA, S.C. _ A planned debate between Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison fell apart Friday over an argument about whether participants should take a COVID-19 test ahead of the event.
After Graham declined to take a COVID-19 test at Harrison's insistence, Harrison refused to debate on stage with Graham and, instead of meeting face-to-face, the two candidates answered questions separately in two extended interviews inside a Spartanburg television studio.
The coronavirus, which has infected more than 150,000 people and led to more than 3,300 deaths in South Carolina, took center stage when Harrison started off the forum.
"We have to take this thing seriously. The president of the United States has been out of pocket because he has the coronavirus," Harrison said, noting that Graham has accused him of wanting "special treatment" by insisting the senator take a COVID-19 test. "Nobody is asking for special treatment. What we're asking is for our senior senator to take this seriously."
The Friday night forum was originally scheduled to be a debate between the two candidates locked in a tight race as polls suggest the race is either tied or within 1 percentage point.
The candidates differed on whether there should be a national mask mandate. Harrison said he would support one.
"We don't have walls on the borders of our states," Harrison said. "My in laws live in Utah, I live here in South Carolina. It is easy for us to get on a plane and fly there, but if I'm taking the coronavirus with me, not only am I impacting the people in that plane, but I'm also impacting the people in the location that I'm going (to), and then those people impact other folks."
Graham said everyone should wear a mask but questioned how such a mandate would be enforced.
"Does the FBI follow us all around?" Graham asked. "I believe in responsibility. So the idea of wearing a mask, count me in. In terms of the national mandate, I don't know how that works. But if you're looking for my advice, wear a mask, wash your hands."
Harrison said he would have to look at whether children should be required to have a coronavirus vaccine once one is available.
"Well, just like we asked for kids that to have flu shots as they go in, we probably have to think about the same thing," Harrison said.
Graham said a requirement children have the vaccine should be up to elected leaders in the state, such as Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman.
"I'm not running for governor, I'm running for United States Senate, I understand the 10th Amendment," Graham said. "I'll trust Molly Spearman, she won the right to make education policy."
Graham added he would take a vaccine once it's available, but Harrison said he would only take it if Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said it was safe.
As Graham's portion of the forum went on, he also included his key talking points about what would happen if Democrats took control of the Senate, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has described himself as a Democratic Socialist, becoming the chairman of the budget committee. Graham said he would become chairman of the budget committee if Republicans control the Senate and he won reelection.
"There's a lot on the ballot," Graham said. "Law and order versus the mob in chaos, conservative judges versus liberal judges, free enterprise versus Bernie Sanders being in charge of your budget."
Highlighting Graham's campaign strategy of tying Harrison to socialism, Harrison in his closing statement said Graham would try to drive fear into voters.
"Lindsey Graham is going to scare you," Harrison said. "He's going to scare you about crime, he's going to scare you about everything, but we're tired of being scared in this country. We're tired of being scared in the state."
Graham sought to remind people that he has worked across the aisle even pointing to his 'yes' votes when confirming Justice Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Both justices were nominees of Democratic President Barack Obama.
"I voted for Sotomayor and Kagan and everybody applauded _ every liberal in the country _ 'we love Lindsey Graham,'" Graham said. "Then I watched the destruction of Brett Kavanaugh and one of the most decent people I've known in my entire life. I stood up and stood by him. Now there's $50 million coming in in the last three months alone to take me out."
"When it comes to Democratic judges I gave them a fair shake, and I voted for them," Graham said. "When it comes to Republican judges, my Democratic colleagues want to destroy them."
In 2016, with months left before the presidential election, Graham opposed Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, saying the vacancy left by Antonin Scalia's death should wait to be filled by the next president.
Harrison has criticized Graham for treating Amy Coney Barrett's nomination differently, rushing to confirm before next month's election.
Friday's event in Spartanburg was originally scheduled for Monday but was moved up for Barrett's confirmation hearings. Graham said they will take place in accordance with CDC guidelines for social distancing.
Harrison, who took a COVID-19 test on Friday, which came back negative, wanted Graham to do the same. But Graham refused saying it was that provision wasn't agreed to several weeks ago when the debate was scheduled.
Harrison says Graham should have quarantined and needs to be tested because he attended a Judiciary Committee hearing with Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee, who has contracted COVID-19. Graham and Lee were spaced far apart during the Oct. 1 hearing, and a doctor said Graham did not qualify as a close contact of Lee and did not require a COVID-19 test or a 14-day quarantine.
Both Graham and Harrison were tested last week before their Saturday debate at Allen University. Both tests came back negative.
Before Friday's forum, both candidates continued to snipe at each other over the test issue.
"People should be tested when there's a need. Any test done for political reasons is one less test to help people," Graham said.
Harrison questioned why Graham would forgo a test, considering it would take only take 30 minutes.
Harrison implied another reason for why Graham wouldn't take a test.
"Is he hiding something? Is there something wrong? Is he exhibiting symptoms, I have no idea," Harrison said.
The two candidates have one more debate scheduled for Oct. 21.
