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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy Lindsey Graham’s departure matters
Posted with permission.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/why-lindsey-grahams-departure-matters?cid=sm_fb_maddow
Why Lindsey Grahams departure matters
12/21/15 10:42 AM
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By Steve Benen
The massive Republican presidential field hasnt seen many departures lately, but that changed this morning when the field shrunk from 14 members to 13. MSNBC reported:
Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is dropping out of the presidential race. While we have run a campaign that has made a real difference, I have concluded this is not my time, he said in a statement Monday.
I am suspending my campaign but never my commitment to achieving security through strength for the American people, he said.
I am suspending my campaign but never my commitment to achieving security through strength for the American people, he said.
The timing is not coincidental: in Grahams home state of South Carolina, today is the last day in which presidential candidates can be removed from the first-in-the-South primary ballot.
Graham also released a two-minute YouTube video this morning to announce the end of his White House bid.
The senators departure was, for all intents and purposes, inevitable. He was out of step with much of his party on a variety of issues, leading to weak fundraising and anemic support in the polls. Graham failed to qualify, for example, for any of the prime-time Republican debates this year.
The Republican lawmaker did his best to position himself as the anti-Trump two weeks ago, Graham argued, You know how you make America great again? Tell Donald Trump to go to hell and he even had a confrontation in which Trump gave out Grahams personal cell-phone number to the public, but his campaign nevertheless struggled for relevance.
When a candidate averaging 0.7% in national polling exits the stage, its tempting to think the impact will be non-existent, but in this case, Grahams departure may be more important than widely assumed.
Keep in mind, Senate Republicans have, by and large, stayed on the sidelines in the GOP presidential race. Of the 54 Republican senators in the chamber, only 11 have made endorsements (one, John McCain, backed Graham, which actually brings the overall total down to 10 as of this morning).
The chatter on Capitol Hill has been that much of the conference has held back largely out of deference towards Graham, whom theyve worked alongside for many years. The thinking has been simple: once Graham quits, senators can start intervening in earnest, without fear of hurting their friends feelings.
In other words, the GOP establishment, panicking over a Trump-Cruz top tier, will be eager to rally behind a standard bearer, and Grahams suspension makes that task a little easier. It effectively unlocks a door many will be eager to go through.
Marco Rubio has picked up three endorsements from Senate Republicans this year. Expect that number to grow quite a bit over the next few weeks.
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Why Lindsey Graham’s departure matters (Original Post)
babylonsister
Dec 2015
OP
NV Whino
(20,886 posts)1. Thanks
Good analysis.
aksptth
(68 posts)2. Guess not this election!
Guess the Republicans won't have a gay candidate this election. Though isn't Santorum still in the race?
Solly Mack
(90,787 posts)3. K&R
emulatorloo
(44,187 posts)4. Fascinating. Another excellent analysis fron Steve Benen
Gregorian
(23,867 posts)5. Interesting insight into how the process works.
You learn a little each day.
rurallib
(62,451 posts)6. Surprised 3 senators endorsed Rubio.
I doubt 3 senators could recognize him since he seldom goes to work.