The $27 million toe in the water

Lindsey Graham's reelection campaign has spent an astounding $27 million, according to Federal Election Commission filings, making him the top GOP Senate candidate in campaign fundraising this cycle and number eight overall.

Graham's five GOP opponents combined have spent less than a fifth of that, with his best-funded opponent, self-financed businessman Mark Lynch, being hit with $5.6 million in negative advertising by three groups: Palmetto Action, Security is Strength PAC, and Project 2026.

Limited publlic polling has shown Graham in the lead: A late May poll from The Citadel found Graham with a 46% to 36% lead over Lynch, while a poll from the Trump-friendly polling firm Trafalgar Group found him with a larger 52% to 28% lead.

However, if no candidate wins a majority in Tuesday's primary, the top two candidates will head to a June 23 runoff election , where the winner will face the winner of the Democratic primary in the November general election.

The Democrat,pediatrician Annie Andrews, is seen as the front-runner for the party's nod, but a Democrat has not won a statewide office in South Carolina in 20 years.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The source of Graham's outside help from super PACs funded by cryptocurrency and technology companies is unclear, with $924,287 in advertising support coming from American Mission and Fellowship PAC.

Graham's relationship with former President George W. Bush is also mentioned, with the two standing together on the steps of Air Force One at the Greenville/Spartanburg Airport in March 2002 in Greenville, South Carolina.

Graham joked two decades ago that he wanted to make Strom Thurmond, the eight-term 99-year-old he was then seeking to succeed in Congress' upper chamber, the second-longest-serving U.S. senator in history.

A familiar pattern from the 2019 crash

Graham's spending on his reelection campaign is reminiscent of the 2019 crash, where several high-profile candidates spent heavily on their campaigns, only to lose in the end.

However, Graham's record of raising more than $20 million after entering this two-year cycle with $15.6 million in the bank already makes him a formidable opponent in the November general election.

His opponent, Mark Lynch, has been hit with $5 .6 million in negative advertising, but Graham's outside help from super PACs may give him an edge in the campaign.

What auditors flagged in the May filing

The Federal Election Commission filings have raised eyebrows, with auditors flagging Graham's spending as one of the highest in the country.

Graham's five GOP opponents combined have spent less than a fifth of what he has spent, making him the clear front-runner in the Republican primary.

However, the outcome of the election is far from certain, with the top two candidates facing off in a June 23 runoff election if no candidate wins a majority in Tuesday's primary.