Sen. Lindsey Graham Won’t Take COVID Test Before Senate Hearings For Amy Coney Barrett

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) refused a request by his Democratic opponent, Jaime Harrison, to take a COVID-19 test before their debate on Saturday, and the reason goes beyond his political views surrounding the coronavirus.

If Graham were to test positive, the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett would be delayed. Graham is Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and.two other Sens. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) have already tested positive. If all three were not able to attend, then the hearings would be pushed back, possibly until after the election.

Graham stated that the rules of the debate did not demand a COVID-19 test, and he included a note from his doctor that he did not require a COVID-19 test, as he was not exposed. He also says that he tested negative last week.