COLUMBIA — Democrat Jaime Harrison in the past three months raised $1.5 million for his bid to challenge U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, his campaign announced Tuesday, breaking the record for the most ever raised by a Democratic Senate challenger in South Carolina.

"I am inspired and humbled by the overwhelming support," Harrison said in a statement. "Together, we're going to win this campaign to elect a United States Senator with the courage to lower health care costs and defend our rural hospitals, protect our coasts, and create opportunity for all South Carolinians."

About $1.3 million of Harrison's haul came in the 33 days since he officially launched his bid, the campaign said.

He had initially formed an exploratory committee. With 60,200 total contributions, including 57,100 this quarter, the average donation to Harrison has been $26, according to his campaign.

Harrison still has a ways to go before catching up to Graham's built-in cash advantage. The Republican incumbent had $4.6 million in the bank at the end of the first quarter of 2019. Graham's campaign manager said they are still calculating his total from the second quarter.

Despite Graham's head start, Harrison has expressed confidence that he can give him a run for his money with sufficient resources of about $10 million.

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"We're building a campaign unlike anything Lindsey Graham has faced before, built on an incredible outpouring of support from grassroots donors and volunteers,” said Harrison's campaign manager, Zack Carroll.

One other Democrat has filed to run in the race so far: Economist Gloria Bromell Tinubu, who previously served in the Georgia House and has unsuccessfully run for Congress in South Carolina twice before. Her campaign said they are also still tabulating her most recent fundraising haul.

Harrison, a top official at the Democratic National Committee and former chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, has garnered several prominent endorsements, including from the national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia.

But Graham begins his reelection bid with a double-digit polling lead over any Democratic challenger. The last time a Democrat won a Senate race in South Carolina was in 1998, when longtime U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings earned a sixth term in office.

All of South Carolina's Republican statewide office holders and congressmen have endorsed Graham.

"Jaime is a former D.C. lobbyist with ties to liberal Hollywood money, so I’m surprised he didn't raise more," said S.C. GOP Chairman Drew McKissick. "He’s running against Senator Graham in deep red South Carolina. While out-of-state money may be flowing to Jaime’s campaign, South Carolina voters aren't.”