July 13, 2026 • 11 mins
In a shocking turn of events, the world of politics has been rocked by the sudden passing of Senator Lindsey Graham, a long-time advocate for the United States and a fierce fighter for the causes he believed in. Congressman Scott Perry joins us to discuss the implications of his passing and what it means for the future of the Senate.
The conversation also touches on the pressing issues facing Pennsylvania, including the impact of federal regulations on energy production and the importance of supporting local law enforcement. Congressman Perry emphasizes the need for a more responsive government that prioritizes the needs of its citizens, rather than just pleasing special interests.
Tune in to hear Congressman Scott Perry's thoughtful analysis of the current state of politics and the challenges facing our nation. From the complexities of the Senate to the everyday concerns of Pennsylvanians, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in staying informed about the issues that matter.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Seven thirty six, twenty four minutes away from me to
clock the RJ Harris Park for show. Michael parks in
for RJ today. RJ will be back tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
You know.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
One of the great things about this show and filling
in for RJ, is that we get to do such
great interviews, one on one interviews with our elected officials,
you know, throughout the area and especially in Washington and
monthly visit and they always a great visit to hear
from Congressman Scott Perry.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Scott, good morning, Great to be with you, Michael. Happy
happy summer.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Yeah, happy summer, Happy Monday. It's a beautiful bright day
in central PA. But my gosh, Washington was rocked yesterday.
How did you hear get the word and maybe some
thoughts on mister Graham.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Well, I got the word through some of my colleagues,
and to tell you the truth, I was completely shocked,
like completely as you can imagine. I knew Senator Graham
and I thought he was in you know, as not
as a spring chicken, so to speak. But he was
in good health and and always very active and animated.
(01:12):
And it was the most unexpected thing, you know, especially
in the context of everything that else that's happening and sending,
including Mitch McConnell. You just weren't expecting that at all.
And look, you know there were things that I disagreed with, uh,
with Senator Graham about, but this isn't really the time
(01:32):
to talk about that, right I will, you know, trying
to keep everything positive. He's a guy that intensely loved
the United States of America and h and he fought
like the devil for the things that he believed in
and for his friends. And you know, look, if he
(01:52):
was an advocate for your position or your issue, you
there was there was almost no one better. And and
he was a ferocious fighter for the things that he
believed in. And that's probably what I would say about
Senator Graham. I mean he you know, like I said,
we didn't always agree, but he was he was entertaining
(02:15):
to be around. Let me say that as well. He
was always a good time.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
So what happens, now, how does this work when when
you lose a senator a congressman during their term in office?
What happens? Who takes a seat? And how long will
that take? Or do you know?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, Well, the strange thing, of course is he was,
as we say in Washington, he's in cycle. So he
had run in the primary and was due for his
general election contest in November, and so now it's you know,
it's a particular situation where I think he is going
to have to the governor of that state is South
(02:54):
Carolina's going to have to select somebody, somebody for a
special election, a special prime mary to then move forward.
So it's going to be a fast turnaround. They don't
want to be without a senator, and obviously the majority
in the Senate is precarious to begin with. So the
(03:14):
governor of the state is going to have a huge
influence on who is going to be replacing Senator Graham
in that primary and then going on to the general.
And of course, we just went through a very contentious
gubernatorial race, and some of the people that were not victorious,
I know two of them, Representative Ralph Norman and Representative
(03:37):
Nancy mace Or eyeing it up. But as well, I
think the lieutenant governor who failed to you know, who
didn't come just came up short in the gubernatorial race,
will also be interested. But I would also say that
the president will probably be interested in have an undo
influence in what happens very shortly in the selection and
(03:59):
then moving forward.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Congressman Scott Perry is joining us right now, I'm not
too you know, we're mourning the man and you know
his family is definitely in shock. But from the political standpoint,
I mean, does this have a hinging on majorities and
things like that in the general election? I mean, is
South Carolina? Could that seat be up for grabs in
(04:22):
the general without Lindsey Graham there?
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Well, I think it's going to be more I think
it's going to be more difficult without Senator Graham, But
I don't know that that's one of those seats that
we normally say is completely in play. Now, look, the
candidate is always a factor. So who the Republicans select
and who the Democrats select is going to be a factor.
And then you know what that person stands on and
(04:46):
what kind of resources are going to behind be behind them.
Both sides are going to essentially claim that the you know,
the sky is falling, we need all hands on deck,
and I think both sides will invest a pretty great
amount in this thing. So it's incumbent upon each one
to pick the candidate that they think best has the
(05:07):
opportunity to win and you know, and be able to
kind of reach across to the center to see if
they can garner some of those some of those votes,
because it is very critical. As I said that, the
you know, the the majority in the Senate and in
the House is they're they're very tenuous. And of course,
you know, we've got some other folks on both sides
(05:30):
of the aisle that are up there. In years. The
Senate is not a young it doesn't it's not known
for being the young person's club, so to speak. So
so each one of these is exceptionally critical, and there's
going to be a whole lot of attention and money
spent on this thing.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So we are your concerns now, like during this time
of the year, in the summertime, you know, you're still
working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. What are some of
the things that you're concerned with right now for us
and the impact in our lives as taxpayers and citizens
here in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Well, look, it always continues to generally be the same.
For me. I don't like the heavy handed uhness of
the federal government figure federal regulations including taxation and those
type of things that make our lives difficult. In Central Pennsylvania.
Energy is a big deal. Pennsylvania is an energy state,
but the federal government has oftentimes picked somebody else other
(06:28):
than Pennsylvania generally, uh, what we call renewables, which is
bad for Pennsylvania because we have traditional fuel sources and
abundance here and they're they're they're they're affordable, and they're
reliable and they're clean. But uh, but our cost keep
going up, which means the cost of other things, whether
(06:49):
it's housing, whether it's food and groceries, or just general
you know, general living can go up because energy is
tied to all of that. And then quite honest, just
general safety and affordability. You know, we have brought a
bunch of people illegally across the border, a bunch of
them reside in Pennsylvania as well as around the country.
(07:10):
That raises the cost of housing and the cost of
all services including education and health care. And then you know,
safety we need. We need to be supporting our local
law enforcement and making sure that they have the tools
that they need to do the job. But all that
to say that, in my opinion, Washington d C is
(07:33):
just not responsive enough and it doesn't matter whether Democrats
or Republicans are in charge of an equal opportunity critic
of both of them. We're coming back in. I hope
we're going to deal with health care. I hope we're
going to deal with codifying stuff on the border. I
hope we're going to deal with things like affordability and security,
you know, regarding our nation's military. But at the same time,
(07:55):
we can't continue to put ourselves in debt. And when
I say that last part, most of my colleagues run
for the hills. They're happy to do all kinds of
things as long as the money is not an issue.
But the money is an issue. We have to pick
and choose, just like in your family. We can afford this,
but if we buy this, we can't get that. Nobody
in Washington, DC, ever wants to do that. They want
(08:15):
to buy everything and put ourselves further in debt, which
just makes prices higher for all of us. And both
sides do it, one particularly is worse than the other,
but neither one or are saints in this whole mission.
So that's going to be that's going to be my
charge heading back in this morning.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, we were talking about that as with the Pennsylvania budget.
You know that they're continuing to spend and they just
move money around, you know, just making you know, it's big,
it's it does. Nobody runs their budget like that personally. Now, hey,
you could do it as a as a government. If
you can do it, they make it happen, but they're
trying to please everybody, but it just doesn't make common sense. Quickly,
(08:54):
before you go, gas prices, I know you can't explain this,
but you know it was they were down and then
all of a sudden, now they're up. We don't have
control over that.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Right Well, because gas and fuel is a global commodity,
we make more and have more in the United States
than everybody else. But unfortunately it's the global markets and
speculators that they, oh, there's a there's a bump, and
there's a you know, inconsistency here. Of course, it's the
it's the conflict in Iran, and they'll speculate, well, I
(09:25):
think the price is going to go higher, so they
so they then speculate and the investment reflect that that
concern that you know, that the lack of predictability in
the market, and and that drives up the cost around
the globe for everybody, even though we have more than
everybody else, we're kind of tied to that. So it's
(09:47):
incumbent upon the United States and quite honestly, our allies
to make sure that that straight of horror moves is
open for the free flow of oil at market base
based prices, and then the price for everybody comes down.
The good news is for us is that we will
we will never run out. The bad news is that
sometimes it costs more than we want it to. And I,
(10:08):
like everybody else, am affected by it. I don't like it.
I remember the gas lines of the nineteen seventies. But
at the same time, I don't like Iran sending or
having the capability of sending nuclear weapons around the globe.
And I would just say this for all of us
who hate the gas prices the way they are, and
I do as well. Just imagine if Iran, without nuclear weapons,
(10:32):
without the ballistic missile capability that they so much desire,
can hold the world, the world hostage. Just imagine what
they could do with those capabilities.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Yeah, hey, we got to run. Congressman Scott Perry again,
thank you for taking time with us during the day.
We hope that you enjoy the rest of your summer.
Keep on fighting the good fight and we'll We've got
your back all right.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Great to be with you, Michael. You be well, God
bless you, and tell our jam thinking about it.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I definitely well. Seven forty seven
Seven thirty six, twenty four minutes away from me to
clock the RJ Harris Park for show. Michael parks in
for RJ today. RJ will be back tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
You know.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
One of the great things about this show and filling
in for RJ, is that we get to do such
great interviews, one on one interviews with our elected officials,
you know, throughout the area and especially in Washington and
monthly visit and they always a great visit to hear
from Congressman Scott Perry.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Scott, good morning, Great to be with you, Michael. Happy
happy summer.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Yeah, happy summer, Happy Monday. It's a beautiful bright day
in central PA. But my gosh, Washington was rocked yesterday.
How did you hear get the word and maybe some
thoughts on mister Graham.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Well, I got the word through some of my colleagues,
and to tell you the truth, I was completely shocked,
like completely as you can imagine. I knew Senator Graham
and I thought he was in you know, as not
as a spring chicken, so to speak. But he was
in good health and and always very active and animated.
(01:12):
And it was the most unexpected thing, you know, especially
in the context of everything that else that's happening and sending,
including Mitch McConnell. You just weren't expecting that at all.
And look, you know there were things that I disagreed with, uh,
with Senator Graham about, but this isn't really the time
(01:32):
to talk about that, right I will, you know, trying
to keep everything positive. He's a guy that intensely loved
the United States of America and h and he fought
like the devil for the things that he believed in
and for his friends. And you know, look, if he
(01:52):
was an advocate for your position or your issue, you
there was there was almost no one better. And and
he was a ferocious fighter for the things that he
believed in. And that's probably what I would say about
Senator Graham. I mean he you know, like I said,
we didn't always agree, but he was he was entertaining
(02:15):
to be around. Let me say that as well. He
was always a good time.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
So what happens, now, how does this work when when
you lose a senator a congressman during their term in office?
What happens? Who takes a seat? And how long will
that take? Or do you know?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, Well, the strange thing, of course is he was,
as we say in Washington, he's in cycle. So he
had run in the primary and was due for his
general election contest in November, and so now it's you know,
it's a particular situation where I think he is going
to have to the governor of that state is South
(02:54):
Carolina's going to have to select somebody, somebody for a
special election, a special prime mary to then move forward.
So it's going to be a fast turnaround. They don't
want to be without a senator, and obviously the majority
in the Senate is precarious to begin with. So the
(03:14):
governor of the state is going to have a huge
influence on who is going to be replacing Senator Graham
in that primary and then going on to the general.
And of course, we just went through a very contentious
gubernatorial race, and some of the people that were not victorious,
I know two of them, Representative Ralph Norman and Representative
(03:37):
Nancy mace Or eyeing it up. But as well, I
think the lieutenant governor who failed to you know, who
didn't come just came up short in the gubernatorial race,
will also be interested. But I would also say that
the president will probably be interested in have an undo
influence in what happens very shortly in the selection and
(03:59):
then moving forward.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Congressman Scott Perry is joining us right now, I'm not
too you know, we're mourning the man and you know
his family is definitely in shock. But from the political standpoint,
I mean, does this have a hinging on majorities and
things like that in the general election? I mean, is
South Carolina? Could that seat be up for grabs in
(04:22):
the general without Lindsey Graham there?
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Well, I think it's going to be more I think
it's going to be more difficult without Senator Graham, But
I don't know that that's one of those seats that
we normally say is completely in play. Now, look, the
candidate is always a factor. So who the Republicans select
and who the Democrats select is going to be a factor.
And then you know what that person stands on and
(04:46):
what kind of resources are going to behind be behind them.
Both sides are going to essentially claim that the you know,
the sky is falling, we need all hands on deck,
and I think both sides will invest a pretty great
amount in this thing. So it's incumbent upon each one
to pick the candidate that they think best has the
(05:07):
opportunity to win and you know, and be able to
kind of reach across to the center to see if
they can garner some of those some of those votes,
because it is very critical. As I said that, the
you know, the the majority in the Senate and in
the House is they're they're very tenuous. And of course,
you know, we've got some other folks on both sides
(05:30):
of the aisle that are up there. In years. The
Senate is not a young it doesn't it's not known
for being the young person's club, so to speak. So
so each one of these is exceptionally critical, and there's
going to be a whole lot of attention and money
spent on this thing.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
So we are your concerns now, like during this time
of the year, in the summertime, you know, you're still
working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. What are some of
the things that you're concerned with right now for us
and the impact in our lives as taxpayers and citizens
here in Pennsylvania.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Well, look, it always continues to generally be the same.
For me. I don't like the heavy handed uhness of
the federal government figure federal regulations including taxation and those
type of things that make our lives difficult. In Central Pennsylvania.
Energy is a big deal. Pennsylvania is an energy state,
but the federal government has oftentimes picked somebody else other
(06:28):
than Pennsylvania generally, uh, what we call renewables, which is
bad for Pennsylvania because we have traditional fuel sources and
abundance here and they're they're they're they're affordable, and they're
reliable and they're clean. But uh, but our cost keep
going up, which means the cost of other things, whether
(06:49):
it's housing, whether it's food and groceries, or just general
you know, general living can go up because energy is
tied to all of that. And then quite honest, just
general safety and affordability. You know, we have brought a
bunch of people illegally across the border, a bunch of
them reside in Pennsylvania as well as around the country.
(07:10):
That raises the cost of housing and the cost of
all services including education and health care. And then you know,
safety we need. We need to be supporting our local
law enforcement and making sure that they have the tools
that they need to do the job. But all that
to say that, in my opinion, Washington d C is
(07:33):
just not responsive enough and it doesn't matter whether Democrats
or Republicans are in charge of an equal opportunity critic
of both of them. We're coming back in. I hope
we're going to deal with health care. I hope we're
going to deal with codifying stuff on the border. I
hope we're going to deal with things like affordability and security,
you know, regarding our nation's military. But at the same time,
(07:55):
we can't continue to put ourselves in debt. And when
I say that last part, most of my colleagues run
for the hills. They're happy to do all kinds of
things as long as the money is not an issue.
But the money is an issue. We have to pick
and choose, just like in your family. We can afford this,
but if we buy this, we can't get that. Nobody
in Washington, DC, ever wants to do that. They want
(08:15):
to buy everything and put ourselves further in debt, which
just makes prices higher for all of us. And both
sides do it, one particularly is worse than the other,
but neither one or are saints in this whole mission.
So that's going to be that's going to be my
charge heading back in this morning.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, we were talking about that as with the Pennsylvania budget.
You know that they're continuing to spend and they just
move money around, you know, just making you know, it's big,
it's it does. Nobody runs their budget like that personally. Now, hey,
you could do it as a as a government. If
you can do it, they make it happen, but they're
trying to please everybody, but it just doesn't make common sense. Quickly,
(08:54):
before you go, gas prices, I know you can't explain this,
but you know it was they were down and then
all of a sudden, now they're up. We don't have
control over that.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Right Well, because gas and fuel is a global commodity,
we make more and have more in the United States
than everybody else. But unfortunately it's the global markets and
speculators that they, oh, there's a there's a bump, and
there's a you know, inconsistency here. Of course, it's the
it's the conflict in Iran, and they'll speculate, well, I
(09:25):
think the price is going to go higher, so they
so they then speculate and the investment reflect that that
concern that you know, that the lack of predictability in
the market, and and that drives up the cost around
the globe for everybody, even though we have more than
everybody else, we're kind of tied to that. So it's
(09:47):
incumbent upon the United States and quite honestly, our allies
to make sure that that straight of horror moves is
open for the free flow of oil at market base
based prices, and then the price for everybody comes down.
The good news is for us is that we will
we will never run out. The bad news is that
sometimes it costs more than we want it to. And I,
(10:08):
like everybody else, am affected by it. I don't like it.
I remember the gas lines of the nineteen seventies. But
at the same time, I don't like Iran sending or
having the capability of sending nuclear weapons around the globe.
And I would just say this for all of us
who hate the gas prices the way they are, and
I do as well. Just imagine if Iran, without nuclear weapons,
(10:32):
without the ballistic missile capability that they so much desire,
can hold the world, the world hostage. Just imagine what
they could do with those capabilities.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Yeah, hey, we got to run. Congressman Scott Perry again,
thank you for taking time with us during the day.
We hope that you enjoy the rest of your summer.
Keep on fighting the good fight and we'll We've got
your back all right.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Great to be with you, Michael. You be well, God
bless you, and tell our jam thinking about it.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
I definitely well. Seven forty seven
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