Lindsey Graham presidential campaign, 2016

Lindsey Graham
for President
Campaign Republican Presidential Primary, 2016
U.S. Presidential Election, 2016
Candidate Lindsey Graham
U.S. Senator from South Carolina (2003–present)
Representative (1995–2003)
Affiliation Republican Party
Status Announced: June 1, 2015
Suspended: December 21, 2015
Headquarters P.O. Box 2732
Columbia, South Carolina
Receipts US$5,628,709 (2015-12-31[1])
Slogan " Ready To Be Commander-in-Chief On Day One "
Website
www.LindseyGraham.com

The 2016 presidential campaign of Lindsey Graham, the senior United States Senator from South Carolina, and former U.S. Representative for South Carolina's 3rd congressional district was announced on June 1, 2015. His candidacy for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2016 election began at an event in his hometown of Central, South Carolina.

On December 21, 2015, Graham announced the suspension of his campaign.[2]

Background

It had been speculated that Graham could be a potential Presidential candidate since at least October of 2014, when he had stated that he would explore running for President in the 2016 election if he were re-elected as a Senator in the 2014 election,[3] and began appearing at events and discussing a potential Presidential bid.[4]

In March 2015, at a Republican forum in New Hampshire, Graham advocated reversal of recent cuts in defense spending, and quipped: "If I were President of the United States, I wouldn't let Congress leave town until we fix this. I would literally use the military to keep them in if I had to."[5]

Graham speaking at an event hosted by the Iowa Republican Party in October 2015.

In April 2015, Graham told Chris Wallace, on the Fox News Sunday show, that he was "91% sure" he would run for president. "If I can raise the money, I'll do it," he said.[6] And on May 18, 2015, Graham informally announced that he would run for president on CBS This Morning, saying he was running because he thinks "the world is falling apart."[7]

Graham made the official announcement of his candidacy for President on June 1, 2015, in his home town of Central, South Carolina.[8]

On July 20, 2015, Graham called Donald Trump a "jackass" during an interview on CNN because he was offended that Trump had criticized his best friend John McCain. The next morning he called Trump a "jackass" again in an appearance on CBS This Morning. In response, Trump ridiculed Graham for asking him for help to get on Fox & Friends and gave out Graham's mobile phone number.[9] Graham responded by releasing a video in which he destroyed his phone.[10]

Graham failed to qualify for the CNN debate on Aug. 6, 2015, but participated in the secondary debate. Similarly, he participated in the secondary debates on CNN (Sept. 16) and CNBC (Oct. 28). In October, Graham was still only polling around 1% and his candidacy was viewed as a long shot.[11] In early November the super PAC Security is Strength purchased a $1 million ad buy in New Hampshire for early which touted Graham's hawkish foreign policy stances and military service.[12]

On December 21, 2015, Graham suspended his campaign[2] and, on January 15, 2016, endorsed former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.[13] However, once Bush and Florida Senator Marco Rubio dropped out, Graham endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz on March 17.[14] Graham's endorsement of Cruz was unenthusiastic, comparing the choice between Cruz and Trump “like being shot or poisoned.”[15] After Cruz announced he was suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on May 3, 2016, Graham said: "If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed... and we will deserve it."[16]

Endorsements

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Candidate (P60007697) Summary Reports – 2016 Cycle". Federal Election Commission. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Graham, Lindsey. "Lindsey Graham on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  3. ↑ Topaz, Jonathan (October 3, 2014). "Lindsey Graham: Marco Rubio ‘not quite ready’". Politico. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  4. ↑ Stephen F. Hayes (October 13, 2014). "The Return of the GOP Hawks". The Weekly Standard. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  5. ↑ Noyes, Ron (March 11, 2015). "As POTUS, Sen. Graham Vows U.S. Military Force Against Non-Compliant Congress". benswann.com (Ben Swann). Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  6. ↑ Schwarz, Hunter – "Lindsey Graham says He’s ’91 percent’ Sure He’ll Run for President", The Washington Post, April 19, 2015.
  7. ↑ Stableford, Dylan (May 18, 2015). "Lindsey Graham: 'I am running because the world is falling apart'". Yahoo! News. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  8. ↑ Rappeport, Alan (June 1, 2015). "Lindsey Graham Announces Presidential Bid". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
  9. ↑ Chris Moody (July 21, 2015). "Donald Trump gave Lindsey Graham's cell number to U.S.". CNN.
  10. ↑ Miller, Jake (July 22, 2015). "Lindsey Graham offers tutorial on how to destroy a cell phone". CBS News. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  11. ↑ "CNN October Poll". CNN. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  12. ↑ Glueck, Katie (2 September 2015). "Graham super PAC buys ad time in N.H.". POLITICO. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  13. ↑ Killough, Ashley; Wright, David (January 15, 2016). "Lindsey Graham endorses Jeb Bush". CNN. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Lindsey Graham throws support to Ted Cruz". POLITICO. Retrieved 2016-03-17.
  15. ↑ Graham: Choice between Trump, Cruz like 'being shot or poisoned' Jan. 21, 2016 Politico
  16. ↑ "John Kasich, last Republican Trump rival, quits race". BBC News. May 5, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  17. ↑ "McCain endorses his ‘illegitimate son’ Lindsey Graham for president". Politico.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Katie Glueck (2015-06-15). "The power players behind Lindsey Graham's campaign: The South Carolina senator has staffed up with McCain alums and his own long-time loyalists".
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Lindsey Graham builds South Carolina team". The Washington Examiner. July 5, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Lindsey Graham’s 2016 finance team includes billionaires, CEOs". The State. June 4, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Lindsey Graham’s 2016 finance team includes billionaires, CEOs". The State. June 4, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Graham 2016 Announces The Endorsement Of Iowa State Senator Tim Kapucian". November 9, 2015.
  23. 1 2 "UPDATE: Graham picks Lambert as NH state chair". New Hampshire Union Leader. October 6, 2015.
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