Former South Carolina Secretary of State Katrina Shealy, a Republican, spoke to CNN on Thursday just five days before the election and denounced his longtime friend Darline Graham, who is running to fill her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.), seat.
According to Shealy, nothing Graham is saying matches the person she has known Graham to be. Instead, the GOP former official said that she's supporting Democrat Annie Andrews.
Speaking to Boris Sanchez, Shealy said that she and Andrews will likely disagree on something but she is authentic and Shealy believes her. By contrast, Graham is "just following what people in the trump campaign are telling her to do. And I believe that's what she'll continue to do. I think we need somebody to represent our state that's going to do the best thing for our state."
She explained that they need someone willing to stand up for the economy and those being hurt by the decisions in Washington and that isn't Graham.
"You know, grocery prices are higher, gas is higher, you know, and, and it affects those that are the less fortunate," said Shealy. "It's not affecting the legislators here because they have the financial means to take care of that. It affects those who can't take care of — those that are being affected by the department of social services, those that are in the Department of Juvenile Justice, those type people. And I think that's near and dear to Annie Andrew's heart. Not that Darlene doesn't care, but I think Darlene is listening to the wrong side."
Sanchez noted that it sounds like she knows Graham well enough that she can say with knowledge that Graham is not saying what she feels personally.
"It sounds like you think that she's been led astray," said Sanchez.
"I've known Darlene for a while," explained Shealy. You know, she was on the executive director for the Commission for the Blind, and I was the committee that actually appointed her to that position. I knew her before I helped work on Lindsey's campaign. When, you know, he was the senator in South Carolina. So we've known each other through politics and those types of things. I think Darlene is a great woman. She's got a great family. So, I just believe that she's being swayed by the endorsement of Donald Trump. And, you know, sometimes when you're endorsed by somebody, you have to play the game instead of saying what you really feel."
She knows none of what Graham is saying is "in her heart. Maybe she feels as strongly toward Trump as, you know, she wants people to believe."
Sanchez asked if she thought Graham was qualified and if she'd be a good senator, and Shealy said she hopes so and has hope that Graham would lead with her heart and mind and not with orders from someone else.
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