Graham Would Support Trump

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Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has burned his cellphone to mock him, called him a “jackass,” and referred to him as “too toxic for our brand.” But now Graham admits he would vote for Donald Trump if he became the Republican Party’s nominee.

“Yeah, absolutely, Why not? I’m a Republican,” Graham said Thursday on “The Laura Ingraham Show” when pressed on whether he would support Trump if he ultimately won the nomination.

“I like my party,” he told Ingraham, “[I’ll] be finding a way to talk about Trump as positive as I know how.”

Graham made clear however that he’s not backing down from his prior criticisms of Trump.

“If the nominee of our party is a person who most private-sector businesses are firing, we’re in trouble,” he said. “There’s a reason all these companies are dropping Mr. Trump as their spokesman, because he’s just not selling with a broader audience.”

Graham also acknowledged the frustration many Trump supporters feel and their desire of a non-politician. “They’re tired of the rest of us,” he said.

Graham also acknowledged the frustration many Trump supporters feel and their desire of a non-politician. “They’re tired of the rest of us,” he said.

Graham said he will support whoever wins the nomination — including Trump — but he predicted the television personality and real estate mogul would doom the party to defeat.

“I’m just trying to find a way to win an election that we can’t afford to lose,” he said. “And I think he’s a mile wide and an inch deep on the issues.”

Graham denied that he is, in Ingraham’s words “blocking and tackling” for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in South Carolina.

Graham denied that he is, in Ingraham’s words “blocking and tackling” for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in South Carolina. Graham said he believes he bring unique expertise in foreign policy and a plan for defeating the Islamic State in the Middle East.

Despite lagging at the bottom of national polls, Graham laid out his path to victory in the nominal fight: Exceed expectations in Iowa, do well in independent-rich New Hampshire and then win his home state of South Carolina.

If he does that, Graham said, he will be in a position to win the Republican nomination.

“If I don’t do well in New Hampshire, I’m going to have to reassess,” he said.