The event was being held by four of Graham’s six challengers to pledge support for each other if any of them end up in a runoff with the incumbent.
According to SC’s The State, Dave Feliciano of Spartanburg, who is considered “the most minor of the candidates,” took the podium and called Graham “ambiguously gay.”
Feliciano said, “It’s about time that South Carolina (says) hey, We’re tired of the ambiguously gay senator from South Carolina. We’re ready for a new leader to merge the Republican Party. We’re done with this. This is what it’s about, all of us coming together and saying, one way or the other, one of us is going to be on that ballot in November.”
Filiciano is a former police officer from Spartanburg with no political experience (obviously) who only recently announced he was running for Senate.
After the event, one of the other candidates, Orangeburg attorney, Bill Connor denounced Feliciano’s comments, calling them personal attacks and said “each candidate’s comment were their own.”
Easley businessman, Richard Cash said he believe’s in free speech, “but I also believe in being civil and respectful. Mr. Feliciano’s comments were inappropriate and I disavow any association with them (the comments).”
The State reports that the other candidate at the press conference, State Senator Lee Bright, left before Feliciano made the comment.