Political Wire

Graham Focuses on Taking Down Paul

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) “may still be weighing whether to run for president, but he already has a strategy — distancing himself from fellow senator Rand Paul (R-KY),” Politico reports.

“In TV appearances, on the campaign trail, and even in private fundraisers, Graham, an Air Force reservist and one of his party’s most prominent defense hawks, has gone after Paul repeatedly and by name, casting him as weak-kneed and unwilling to protect the country from aggressors.”

Huffington Post: Paul’s record on Iran could haunt him in GOP primaries

Graham Sees Pathway Forward in Iowa

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“After his third venture into Iowa testing the waters for a presidential bid, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham is convinced he sees an opening for himself in the 2016 race,” the Des Moines Register reports.

Said Graham: “At the end of the day, I think there’s a pathway forward for a guy like me. Whether I finish first or 10th, at least I had a chance here.”

“Asked which GOP competitors he considers most formidable, Graham, 59, mentioned former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, and Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio — in that order.”

Graham Could Shake Up GOP Presidential Race

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“There aren’t many Republicans who believe Lindsey Graham’s mercurial presidential campaign-to-be will actually result in Lindsey Graham becoming president,” CNN reports.

“But the South Carolina senator’s mere presence in the 2016 race could throw a curveball into the nominating process, forcing his soon-to-be GOP rivals to consider how a Graham candidacy would scramble Republican allegiances in a vital early nominating state.”

Graham Blames Gore for GOP Inaction on Climate

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) blamed Al Gore in a speech for the fact that “people of my party are all over the board” when it comes to thinking climate change is real.

Said Graham: “I said that it’s real, that man has contributed to it in a substantial way. But the problem is Al Gore’s turned this thing into religion. You know, climate change is not a religious problem for me, it’s an economic, it is an environmental problem.”

Graham Shines at Iowa Cattle Call

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“Nine GOP White House contenders did their best to sound more compelling and better-versed on farm-related matters than their competitors Saturday as they were quizzed during an unusual showcase of agriculture policy on the presidential campaign trail,” the Des Moines Register reports.

A “witty performance” by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) “captured the most applause during the 6½-hour examination of some wonkish policy matters at the Iowa Ag Summit… But it remains to be seen whether Graham, who barely registers in polling, will get the kind of lift that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) did after his buzzy speech to a similar-sized audience of Iowans and national press six weeks ago at the Iowa Freedom Summit, the first “cattle call” presidential audition of the year in Iowa.”

Washington Post: “Saturday’s forum was one of a series of events on Iowa’s political calendar this spring and summer designed to draw the candidates to the state and take positions on its pet issues.”

South Carolina Voters Don’t Want Graham to Run

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Nearly two-thirds of South Carolina registered voters say Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) should not run for president, according to a Winthrop Poll.

Among Republicans, Graham’s approval rating was 60%, but only 34% in his party said he should run for president.

A new Gravis Marketing survey shows Graham finishing third in a South Carolina Republican primary behind Jeb Bush and Scott Walker.

Graham Launches PAC to Explore White House Bid

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) “launched the Security Through Strength committee that will underwrite his political activities as he travels the country to gauge support for a presidential campaign,” USA Today reports.

Said Graham: “We will never enjoy peaceful co-existence with radical Islam because its followers are committed to destroying us and our way of life.”

Graham Says He’s Seriously Considering 2016 Bid

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that he’s seriously exploring a bid for the Republican presidential nomination, Politico reports.

Graham said he is not polling yet “but we set up a testing-the-waters committee under the IRS code that will allow me to look beyond South Carolina as to whether or not a guy like Lindsey Graham has a viable path.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

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“We’re in a religious war. These are not terrorists, these are radical Islamists who are trying to replace our way of life with their way of life. Their way of life is motivated by religious teachings that require me and you to be killed or enslaved or converted. The President of the United States tiptoes around the threats we face and he is trying to diminish the religious aspect of this war. Why? I don’t know.”

— Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), in an interview with Hugh Hewitt.

Graham Says Immigration Is Key to 2016 GOP Hopes

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told CNN that the Republican Party’s chances of winning the White House in 2016 will be “almost non-existent” if it does not take a step toward immigration reform.

Said Graham: “If we don’t at least make a down payment on solving the problem and rationally dealing with the 11 million, if we become the party of self-deportation in 2015 and 2016, then the chance of winning the White House I think is almost non-existent.”

Graham Says He’s Considering a White House Bid

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told the AP that he is thinking about seeking the Republican presidential nomination. But he highlighted a potential obstacle.

Said Graham: “I never shied away from trying to solve problems, and working with the Democrats is not a sin if it advances the overall cause… The problem is that in our primary field, it’s not about the times that you agree, it’s about the 1 in 10 times that you disagree.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

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“It’d be shortsighted to deny funding to an agency that’s become one of the frontline defenders of the homeland.”

— Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), quoted by the Washington Post, on the House GOP’s plan to only temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security in retaliation for President Obama’s immigration actions.

Graham Says White House Bid Possible

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Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) will not rule out a 2016 presidential bid, The Hill reports.

Said Graham: “I’m thinking of trying to fix illegal immigration and replacing sequestration. I will let you know if I think about running for president. It’s the hardest thing one could ever do. You go through personal hell. You have got to raise a ton of money. I’m nowhere near there.”

Asked if his response could be labeled as a “maybe,” Graham nodded and said, “That’s what it was.”

[speech_bubble type=”std” subtype=”a” icon=”pwdome.jpg” name=””]There’s no downside to saying you’re considering running for president but I’d be very surprised if Graham jumped in the race.[/speech_bubble]

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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