FLORENCE, S.C. -- Supporters of Sen. Lindsey Graham's re-election bid gathered at Krispy Kreme on West Palmetto Street in Florence Saturday morning for a few words of encouragement from their candidate before they hit the streets for some old-fashion politicking.

In the era of Twitter, Facebook and Big Data, volunteers were prepared to put their walking shoes to good use throughout Florence and surrounding areas to spread their candidate's message.

"We've got a whole team of people who are going to be walking neighborhoods and knocking on doors -- getting out the vote, delivering signs. Just making sure people know about senator graham and are excited about him and are going to go vote for him in the primary," said Stephanie Rawlinson, Florence County chairman for the Graham campaign.

Before sending the volunteers out, though, the senator stopped by in person to thank his supporters for their efforts on his behalf.

The senator pulled up to the doughnut shop and waded into about 30 supporters to deliver handshakes and hugs all around along with a shout-out to the kitchen crew making the doughnuts.

"We're a very technologically driven campaign, we have very sophisticated social media, we have a lot of advertising. But in our state, there is no substitute for individual validation, individual solicitation of a vote. That's why I go around everywhere trying to be seen as much as possible," Graham said.

"In South Carolina politics is still very personal and these people are bringing their families out to go through neighborhoods," Graham said.

Senator since 2003, Graham faces six Republican candidates in the state's primary and will have to garner more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a primary runoff.

Graham said that while he's confident he'll win without a runoff he's not taking anything for granted.

"I've got to get over 50 percent to avoid a runoff. I think we will. If we do it's because of hard working people who've given some money but most of all they’ve given their time and their effort," he said.

"Politicians who think they've already won usually lose. I'm not owed this job, I’d rather earn this job," he said.

After Graham departed Krispy Kreme for Columbia and points beyond, supporters hung around a bit longer for some more coffee and doughnuts and a quick rundown of the activities for the rest of the day.

From there, volunteers rolled out to Windsor Forest where they started about 10:15 a.m. and from there were heading along to South Florence.

"We don't want to wake people up too early," Rawlinson said of the timing.