Sen. Lindsey Graham is smart enough to take his Christmas vacation early, it seems.
Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is dropping out of the presidential race.
“While we have run a campaign that has made a real difference, I have concluded this is not my time,” he said in a statement Monday
Graham, who first told CNN of his decision in an interview, faced the deadline Monday to be removed from the ballot in his home state of South Carolina. Graham has been mired at the bottom of polls – both nationally and in his home state – and could have faced an embarrassing showing in the state’s February primary.
The hawkish South Carolina senator had been the Republican field’s most vociferous early critic of Donald Trump.
Which is true, and being the “Hey guys, Trump is goddamn crazy on immigration and Muslims but let’s send tens of thousands of US troops into Syria” candidate got him a whopping 0% at the polls and seriously threatening to break the crucial 1% mark.
I’m thinking since we’re in effectively in election news dump mode until January, we’re going to see a few folks drop out over the next week or two anyway.
Time to catch up on your Netflix queue, man.
BubbaDave
I think your honor has been impugned by Dougs! attempt to bigfoot you on the same subject, and the only way to settle this is a machete fight on pay-per-view.
(Come to think of it, that would be a great way to determine the next Republican to withdraw from the race, as well….)
Germy
@BubbaDave:
Socks filled with wet cat food. No machetes.
And Steve Harvey can officiate.
Doug!
Whoops, didn’t mean to bigfoot you. I wrote mine half an hour ago but couldn’t get it publish! Sorry!
Betty Cracker
I kinda hope not at this point since a less fractured field might allow one of the anti-Trump candidates to gain sufficient steam to pose a serious challenge to Trump for the nomination. At this point, I’m rooting for Trump to complete his destruction of the party.
@Germy: I like the idea of a wet-cat-food-in-socks duel. Next time someone impugns my honor, I will challenge him or her to tube socks at dawn and direct my seconds to lay in a supply of Kozy Kitten!
Germy
@Betty Cracker: I can imagine a cheater like Burr showing up with a sock full of hard kibble.
Matt McIrvin
@Betty Cracker: As bad as Trump seems to be for the Republicans, his being the frontrunner does more damage to the whole country and its people the longer it goes on. He’s effectively encouraging white-supremacist violence just by being there, and even if he loses, his movement could be the constituency for a fascist coup attempt down the line.
So I want him out. Even if it marginally increases the chance of a Republican win in 2016.
Amir Khalid
@Betty Cracker:
But when a candidate like Lindsey drops out, it won’t really help whoever gets his one supporter. We already saw that with Scott Walker.
Germy
@Betty Cracker: the late ’80s were the golden age of Kozy Kitten commercials.
WereBear
@Matt McIrvin: But they love Trump!
I’m leaning that having him as their nominee will fracture the party, which is a hugely good thing.
Just One More Canuck
great post title
Mr. Prosser
“While we have run a campaign that has made a real difference,…” Um, what?
maya
Is this is, or is this not, good news for John McCain?
Germy
@maya: Everything is good news for John McCain.
Except Sarah Palin.
Lige
Can’t wait for the Hungry for Power Games update.
Montarvillois
Nothing more was expected from Graham than to inject pro-war propaganda onto the debate stage on behalf of the military-indusrial complex. Mission accomplished, I suppose.
debbie
I was running errands when I heard the news. According to NPR, Graham said his campaign had succeeded at steering the debates in the right direction. (Toward the cliff’s edge?)
Ken
@Mr. Prosser: Yeah, I was wondering about that. When you’re not even invited to the big table, and your numbers are below the poll’s margin of error, just what difference do you think you might be making?
The Other Chuck
And the rest of the nation responds: “Wait, he was running?”
Actually, despite being basically the Senator from Lockheed Martin, he seemed the least insane passenger in the clown car. Bit of a shame to see him go, but it’s not like he had a chance.
Paul in KY
@Betty Cracker: Pro tip: Freeze the wet catfood before duel.
Paul in KY
@Mr. Prosser: to his bank account, maybe?
Bobby Thomson
@Germy: I don’t think anyone accused Burr of cheating. Treason, but not cheating.
WereBear
Okay, that was keyboard-splattering worthy.
Just thinking of all the people who deserve such a smack.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@Bobby Thomson: Actually…. *coughcough*
There were rumors that Burr had taken target practice for as much as three months before he challenged Hamilton.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Paul in KY:
Or leave it in the can.
Paul in KY
@Steeplejack (phone): If they don’t specify…
Paul in KY
@Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: He also had dueling pistols with hair triggers. Hamilton didn’t know that & most probably accidently fired his pistol (rather than shooting into the air).
BruceFromOhio
@The Other Chuck:
That was Kasich’ qualification, but is it enough to lead?
My sources say No.
What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?
@BruceFromOhio: What’s clear is that the typical Republican primary voter wants the insane-est passenger in the clown car. That’s one thing JEB? and the other mainstream candidates failed to grasp. The nut jobs are the only guys with rising poll numbers. After 7 years of a Ni-CLANG in the White House, the Republican base wants someone who will throw them red meat. It’s Trump and Cruz that are doing that. The rest of the candidates won’t because they know that’s a recipe for disaster for the party in the medium/long run. Tump doesn’t give a crap because he’s just moonlighting, and Cruz doesn’t give a crap because he’s the biggest asshole in Congress and only cares about his own agenda, not the long term good of the party.
Paul in KY
@What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us?: Good points. Back in 1930s, Cruz would have been a Democrat (would have had some different takes on issues, but the MAIN issue is advancing Rafael Cruz & back then, being a Democrat would have been the way to do it).