CAMPAIGN 2016: Graham drops out of Republican race

Most importantly, the centerpiece of my campaign has been securing our nation.

The day after he announced his run for president, Graham released an impressive 100-person fundraising network in the Palmetto State. But he made a decision to move forward that timetable and drop off because his candidacy has failed to gain traction. Scott has a 76 percent GOP approval rating, and 81 percent approval among Tea Party supporters, according to the poll. On Monday, he returned to that role, giving CNN an interview about how the Republican Party needed to follow his lead on foreign policy. His solution to gridlock in Washington: “We’re going to drink more”. He’s now averaging less than 1 percent both nationally and in the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire-and even in his home state of SC, he was sitting at only 1.7 percent.

Graham has suffered from low polling numbers throughout his campaign and his withdrawal from the race comes on the deadline for candidates to remove their names from the SC primary ballot.

“Let’s see where the fundraising goes”, added Dawson.

Many influential South Carolina GOP donors have been backing Graham out of loyalty to the state’s senior senator. And in a race too often marred by the sort of moronic insults you can hear during elementary-school recess, Graham displayed actual wit. We are proud of him for being the first South Carolinian in over sixty years to seriously compete for the White House. John McCain, a Granite State darling, had endorsed his close friend and spent time campaigning there for Graham, with events as recently as this past weekend.

The Republican cited the number of other candidates who have adopted his key-issue position on war against ISIL (Daesh) as his reason for withdrawing. But over the summer, political neophytes like Trump and Ben Carson surged to the front of the pack and forced far better-known candidates, such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, to fight for support.

Graham “won” by being loose, displaying knowledge and espousing pragmatism in the face of the extreme words that have dominated so much of the agenda in the crowded GOP field.

Graham’s departure also presents opportunities for those vying to win New Hampshire. Sen.

“Lindsey is a good guy, a very amusing guy”, Rubio said.

The Democratic National Committee also noted Graham’s exit.

Sen. Lindsey Graham of SC suspended his presidential campaign Monday, saying he had concluded “this is not my time”, while arguing that his mix of hawkishness on foreign policy and pragmatism on immigration and the economy had made a difference in the race. He has been the most outspoken GOP candidate criticizing front-runner Donald Trump for calling for a ban on Muslims entering the United States. “I think it would be a meaningful endorsement”, he said, noting Graham’s financial network.