Lindsey Graham Quits Presidential Race

He was raised that way and he didn’t want to go into debt on the campaign.

It was a privilege to support my dear friend @LindseyGrahamSC – thank you for all you have done for the country you love & serve so well!

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Senator Lindsey Graham speaks during the Republican presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada December 15, 2015.

“I’m suspending my campaign, but never my commitment to achieving security through strength for the American people”, Graham said in an online video announcing his exit. In his home state, a recent Winthrop poll showed support from only 2 percent of GOP voters.

Graham said he got into the campaign to turn back the tide of isolationism rising in the Republican Party and said enormous progress was made on that front in December.

Again, despite his long experience and memorable statements during debates, Graham never polled above single digits during his run. “I believe we’ve run a campaign you can be proud of”, he said to those “who have taken this journey with me”. At a time when too many running for their party’s nomination are willing to trim ideas to fit the latest focus group outcome, Graham insisted, “I am not going to give an inch on the [immigration] idea”.

But most of his peers in the Republican race wished Graham the best – now down to 12 main candidates – especially fellow moderate Republicans.

“Since launching my campaign for president on June 1, I have offered a path to saving the American dream and working together on bold solutions to solve big problems”, Graham said in the video.

Graham is the fourth Republican candidate to quit the Republican presidential race following former Texas Governor Rick Perry, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.

“It’s something he’s been contemplating for a while and he waited for a bit, just wanted to make sure”, Graham strategist Brett O’Donnell told the Washington Post. That might start pushing more people than Lindsey Graham into getting a reality check.

Responding to rumours about his sexuality on a previous occasion, Graham joked about whether he was having a secret affair with Ricky Martin. “I don’t think he’s done anything for SC”.

Second, there’s Graham’s unique position as a favorite son of an early primary state.