China takes center stage in SC’s US Senate contest

The Democrat trying to flip South Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat called Wednesday for Sen. Darline Graham to recuse herself from all trade and military votes involving China.

Annie Andrews also asked Graham to “cut her family’s business ties” with the country, emphasizing a Washington Post report that the Republican senator’s husband works for two companies that import products from China.

Responding on social media, a Graham campaign spokesman called the demands “desperate,” while Graham called the criticisms a “weak attack” on her family.

Andrews’ public demands were her latest step in highlighting the report, which she also raised on the debate stage Sunday.

Graham’s response Wednesday on social media echoed her response during the debate: “The company my husband works for sells toys for children. He doesn’t own the company nor does he have any equity stake,” she wrote.

Most toys are made in China, wrote her spokesman T.W. Arrighi. “Just look on Amazon.”

Graham, who was appointed to the seat in July following the death of her late brother Lindsey Graham, has advocated for manufacturing more in the United States instead of China as she seeks the next full term.

But Andrews says Graham’s husband’s paycheck relies on trade with the communist nation.

“It’s inappropriate for a senator to profit from business with China. It’s even worse to conceal those ties from the public,” Andrews said at a news conference Wednesday in Mount Pleasant with the USS Yorktown as a backdrop.

On her financial disclosure, Graham lists her husband’s employer as Birchwood Trading, which sells gift products. But he also works for Cosmox North America, which sells guns and toy guns. The two businesses share an address in Columbia.

Cosmox isn’t included on the form, filed Aug. 7, because Larry Nordone’s paychecks come only from Birchwood Trading, said Graham spokesman T.W. Arrighi. The two small businesses are owned by the same person, who employs Nordone, he told the SC Daily Gazette.

The Washington Post reported Saturday that Cosmox imports gel blaster toy guns from China. The newspaper also linked Cosmox’s New York-based parent company, Coxmox Outdoors, to a Chinese weapons supplier.

Social Security, data centers and healthcare: Senate candidates exchange jabs while talking policy

Andrews initially brought it up Sunday, after Graham called the Democrat’s proposal of a two-year moratorium on data centers dangerous, saying it would put China “so far ahead.”

“So it’s interesting that Darline brought up China because the Washington Post just yesterday uncovered that Darline is hiding her family’s business interests in China,” she said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for a sitting senator to be lining her pockets with money from China.”

Allowed a 30-second rebuttal, Graham said, “So you’re bringing up my husband. You’re sinking pretty low. My husband is employed by the company. He doesn’t own the company or have any interest in the company. They buy toy guns from China. If y’all didn’t regulate everybody to death, maybe some of the manufacturers would actually stay in this country.”

The back-and-forth comes as polls show Andrews and Graham in a closer-than-expected contest in a state that President Donald Trump won two years ago by nearly 18 percentage points.

Trump encouraged Graham, appointed to complete the term that ends in January, to jump into the special GOP primary to replace her late brother on the Nov. 3 ballot. She ultimately won the 10-way GOP contest with Trump’s endorsement, to include a rally in Myrtle Beach ahead of the runoff.

Trump is expected to return to South Carolina next week in what’s seen as an effort to boost Graham’s bid.

MS NOW reported he’s coming to Greenville on Wednesday.

Greenville County, the state’s largest, is among the counties Graham lost in the GOP runoff.

Details are still in the works, Greenville County GOP Chairman Jeff Davis said in a release.