A Greenville businessman is the first Republican to announce a bid to take on U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham next year. Mark Lynch, owner of Jeff Lynch Appliance Center, officially kicked off his campaign Monday at the store his father founded more than 70 years ago.

Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who relishes being in the middle of the action, is leapfrogging the House G.O.P., which is still tied in knots over a budget blueprint.

The Republican effort in Congress to pass President Donald Trump's energy, border and tax plans hit a new snag on Tuesday as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) effectively shut down efforts by Senate Republicans to go around him and revise the legislative approach.