Graham ally questions Republicans eyeing replacement bid: 'Taking ridiculous positions'

Rep. William Timmons (R-SC) on Tuesday offered a chilly response to several of his South Carolina colleagues who swiftly expressed interest in replacing Sen. Lindsey Graham after the longtime senator's sudden death.

Timmons reflected on Reps. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Ralph Norman (R-SC) suggesting they could throw their hat in the ring to fill Graham's seat, which was left vacant when Graham died from heart disease on Saturday evening. He said their quick reactions "rubbed me the wrong way," and cast doubt on whether his two colleagues could have a chance at winning a Senate race, since they were both losers in South Carolina's gubernatorial primary earlier this year.

"[Voters] just got the best polling data ever in [the] South Carolina … primary election," Timmons said during an interview with Fox News Digital. "I think that some of the people that have talked about running have a history of just saying outlandish things and taking ridiculous positions just for the purpose of getting clicks. And I think that that is not something that the people of South Carolina are going to reward."