Graham Ends Campaign After Final Hurrah

Photo by Timothy Knight

LONDONDERRY, NH - Senator Lindsey Graham has ended his long shot bid for the White House, but not before making one final sweep through New Hampshire this past weekend, where even then he was under no disillusionment about his standing in the polls.

Last Tuesday evening he was stuck in the undercard debate with the other also rans, and according to the last three surveys conducted in the Granite State, the South Caroline native and Air Force veteran had no measurable support with the party faithful.

Still, carrying on despite the inevitable demise of his candidacy for the White House, it didn't stop Mr. Graham from meeting with voters across the state on Saturday afternoon, even bringing along his longtime friend and political ally John McCain to campaign with him.

Photo by Timothy Knight

It was with this in mind, that Mr. Graham and Mr. McCain walked into the Londonderry Town Hall, greeted the fifty people that had come out to hear the candidate speak, and began to lay out their reasoning for why he should be the Republican nominee to challenge the (likely) Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton next fall.

Warning voters, "I am concerned more than I ever have been since the Cold War," McCain praised his Senate colleague as having more qualifications on foreign policy than any other candidate in the field. Hitting President Obama for leading from behind, McCain added: "the United States needs a leader."  

Mr. Graham responded to the 2008 GOP presidential nominee's remarks by quipping, "Trump can suck on that," before going through his background as being the son of a liquor store owner, being the first in his family to graduate from college, and being a proud Republican who believes there is a role for the government. 

Photo by Timothy Knight

Both of the Senator's opening statements and subsequent answers to town hall questioners were focused almost exclusively through the prism of foreign policy. Mr. Graham in particular was blunt in his language, refusing to parse his language when he described one audience member's suggestion that we seize Iraqi oil as the, "dumbest idea ever."

Proposing a 100,000 strong ground force comprised of Arab, European, and American soldiers to topple the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa, Graham theoretically asked, "How can you afford to sit on the sidelines," before offering his view that, "we can't afford to let evil reign unchecked."

However, with only hours until he would be standing on the presidential sidelines, Senator Graham conceded during a moment of clarity, "I'm in trouble if I can't make the main [debate] stage." After 176 campaign stops in New Hampshire, he ended his bid no closer to the main stage than when he began.