by Bella Carpentier for Greenville Online
Republican Senate candidate Mark Lynch sat down with a small group of voters in a library conference room, walking them through his campaign.
Lynch is running on a conservative, pro-life, religious platform as he campaigns to unseat long-time U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has held the office since 2003. The meet and greet at the Five Forks Branch Library on Oct. 15 was an opportunity to hear from voters about their most important issues.
Lynch, a Greenville businessman, first announced his intention to run for the Senate in February. There are three Republicans running in the primary so far: Lynch, Graham and Project 2025 author Paul Dans. Lynch said he’s running because he thinks South Carolina wants someone new in the Senate who will stay true to their conservative platform.
“They want a leader in South Carolina that’s a true conservative that won’t compromise or get bought off,” Lynch said.
Lynch has spent the past 40 years running his family business, Jeff Lynch Applicances, and believes that South Carolinians want to see a businessman elected into office over career politicians or attorneys. A significant part of his platform is focused on economic growth, whether that’s investing in domestic manufacturing, fighting inflation or trying to combat a rising national debt.
He is also basing his platform around anti-abortion policies, closing borders, and reducing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and changing public school curriculum that he said is written by “enemies of our country.”
“Our campaign is all about God first — it’s God, family and country,” Lynch said. “I have no desire to make money in this position or to take payoffs and get compromised.
Lynch greeted people as they came into the room and mingled with the handful of attendees. Two of the meet and greet attendees were Anne and Tim Ring, a couple from Spartanburg who came out to show their support for Lynch’s campaign.
The couple said they are feeling disatisfied with Graham’s leadership in the Senate and support Lynch’s campaign because there is “no gray area” in what he stands for.
“There’s nothing wishy washy about him,” Anne Ring said. “You’re not guessing about who he’s going to be today, who he was five years ago, or who he’s going to be five years from now.”
Tim Ring said he supports Lynch’s campaign because he thinks South Carolina’s elected officials are not representing the state’s conservative voter base. Lynch, he said, isn’t in the race “to be liked.”
“He’s in that way kind of like Trump. He doesn’t care what people think about it,” Ring said. “He’s not in it to win a popularity contest.”
In addition to the three Republican candidates, there are several Democrats, Independents, and a Libertarian candidate seeking the primary nomination.
The Democratic candidates are Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews, Greenville small business owner Brandon Brown, Columbia logistics professional Kyle Freeman, Columbia preservationist Catherine Fleming Bruce and Myrtle Beach resident Christopher Giracello.
Independent candidates Jack Ellison of Charleston, Cindy Glaser of Fountain Inn and Paul Sedletsky of North Myrtle Beach all declared candidacy in the Senate race with the Federal Election Commission. Kasie Whitener, a business owner and writer residing in Blythewood, is also running as a Libertarian.
Bella Carpentier covers the South Carolina legislature, state, and Greenville County politics. Contact her at bcarpentier@gannett.com
