US Republican Senator Graham quits presidential race due to low support

Today, I’m suspending my campaign for president.

Graham said he would support Trump if the businessman wins the GOP nomination, saying he’d give “my two-cents worth about a plan I think can keep the country safe”.

Rubio said that Graham was “a defender of a strong national defense, as I am” and described him as one of the most forceful voices on the military. South Carolina’s primary tests “projectability”, Moore said, noting that the coming debates will have a notable impact on how the race shapes up there. Despite a long career in politics, Graham was never able to get the national support needed to remain a major threat to the frontrunners.

Senator Graham goes back to the Senate as one of its most powerful members chairing several key sub-committees including the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations which funds all USA assistance to the State of Israel as well as chairing Armed Services and Judiciary sub-committees related to terrorism and national security.

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

REUTERS/Gretchen ErtlRepublican presidential candidates, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (L) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), shake hands before the Independence Day parade in Amherst, New Hampshire July 4, 2015.

He started his campaign with a festive rally in his hometown, Central, South Carolina, and often recalled growing up above a pool hall and helping to raise his sister.

Monday is the deadline for presidential candidates to remove their names from the SC primary ballot.

He also warned Americans against nominating Donald Trump for president. “He needs some time to figure out what he wants to do in this race”, Christie said in an interview in Nashua, N.H., “and I’ll be respectful of that”.

Graham’s financial backers likely will take their time to get behind another candidate, waiting to see who gains more traction, predicted Scott Buchanan, a political scientist at The Citadel.

A new CBS News poll showed Graham at just 1 percent in SC, and he may have been looking to avoid an embarrassing loss in his home state.

175-c-21-(Mark Smith, AP White House correspondent)-“to take sides”-AP White House Correspondent Mark Smith reports it’s unclear how Graham’s departure will affect the GOP contest”.

Graham, 60, announced his decision on YouTube, insisting that he still has made an impact on the race.

Many influential South Carolina GOP donors have been backing Graham out of loyalty to the state’s senior senator. “I believe we have made enormous progress in this effort”.