Lindsey Graham is out

[redheadbaker]

www.politico.com/story/2015/12/lindsey-graham-suspends-presidential-campaign-217028

Lindsey Graham drops out of presidential race

By KATIE GLUECK 12/21/15 09:36 AM EST

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is suspending his presidential run, he told supporters on a conference call Monday.

His announcement came on the same day as the deadline hit for him to remove his name from the South Carolina primary ballot, a date that had been closely watched amid speculation that the low-polling Graham would want to avoid a potentially poor performance in his own state’s contest.

“I was hoping not to have to make this call, but I think the time has come for me to suspend my campaign,” he said as he opened the call.

Graham, a well-respected voice in the Senate who easily won reelection in 2014, despite several attempts to unseat him by primary challengers, has nonetheless failed to gain traction in the presidential contest. The senator, who entered the race in part because he hoped to push foreign policy issues to the forefront on the debate stage, has repeatedly been relegated to undercard contests, where he has earned positive reviews but hardly any boost in poll numbers.

“We’ve come to a point now where I just don’t see how we grow the campaign without getting on the main stage,” he said. “One of the biggest problems we’ve had was to get our voice on equal footing with others. This second-tier debate process has been difficult for us. I think we’ve done well in the debates, it’s just hard to break through because the buzz doesn’t last very long.”

His latest RealClearPolitics national polling average is only .5 percent. In New Hampshire, the state in which Graham has made the biggest efforts, campaigning there as recently as this weekend with ally John McCain, Graham’s average is 0 percent. Graham’s exiting of the race comes just weeks before the next Republican presidential debate comes to his home state, on Jan. 14.

By leaving now, he frees up some South Carolina donors and operatives, who had either been backing Graham or staying neutral out of deference to the state’s senior senator. He also positions himself as a kingmaker in the Feb. 20 South Carolina primary. It’s unclear whom Graham might back, but he has made his disdain known for two of the other candidates currently leading in South Carolina: Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

Graham told CNN in an interview that he doesn't have any imminent plans to endorse. "I'm going to take some time with my family. Going to think about what I should do. I have no intention of endorsing anyone right now," he said.

[jeaniebueller]

Even though he is an establishment guy and I disagree with him on MANY fronts, he looks reasonable compared to Trump and others. It always made me laugh because whenever he was interviewed on MJ, they acted like he was already out of the race.

[Velar Fricative]

Well, he lasted longer than I thought he would, so that's a plus. But this race is still way too big so I hope others drop off in the coming weeks.

[froggy76]

I hope he continues to speak out against Trump and other GOP candidates.

[laladypoet]

I thought this was gonna be a whole different kind of out.

[jillboston]

I always find it funny when candidates talk about "we" when it is "I". I'm pretty sure there was only one Lindsey at the debate (although since no one watched it who knows).

[karinothing]

Damn. I am going to miss his one liners

[mx27]

Dec 21, 2015 10:05:29 GMT -5 laladypoet said:

I thought this was gonna be a whole different kind of out.

Me too.

I was ready to be all, "finally!"

[msmerymac]

Dec 21, 2015 11:28:55 GMT -5 mx27 said:

Dec 21, 2015 10:05:29 GMT -5 laladypoet said:

I thought this was gonna be a whole different kind of out.

Me too.

I was ready to be all, "finally!"

That was honestly the reason I was shocked he was running in the first place. He must be REALLY certain he doesn't have any skeletons in his closet. 

Also, when Lindsey Graham looks like one of the more reasonable candidates, your party might be in trouble...

[downtoearth]

It sounds like he is saying it was the media's fault that they wouldn't let him on the main stage. Well, I'm sure one of the other billionty GOP candidates will remind us this later - the media pushed out some of the candidates by being unfair with the clown car tickets and it wasn't that the clown car is off the tracks and going berserk and nobody can hang on.