Is Politico supporting Lindsey “Graham-nesty” Graham to win re-election?
The clock is winding down on the hot senate race in South Carolina to unseat incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham. Many conservative voters have voiced their disappointment in Senator Graham’s support of big government policies while still touting in his political ads how he considers himself conservative. It would seem that Graham is even gaining support with liberal media outlets including Politico who has written quite a few articles attacking Graham’s contenders.
One of the challengers considered at the top of the list is former pastor and attorney Det Bowers. This week Politico had a scathing article and contributor Manu Raju had to dig way back 13 years ago to uncover that during a sermon Raju alleges Bowers blames women for divorces and compares him to “insensitive tea party extremists” such as Todd Aitken in Missouri and Richard Murdock from Indiana, reigniting the whole “war on women” mantra. In actuality the sermon itself discusses divorce instances, Biblical principles and Bowers is heard in a 1 minute sound bite stating women who “worship” their children more than they support their husband’s emotional needs do find themselves having a responsible part to the divorce despite the husband having an affair. Not necessarily a new concept of discovering that divorce like any relationship in general takes two committed individuals equally giving their all to its success or failure.
Raju also wrote another article this past week touting how Graham has “outmaneuvered the tea party” by his ability to get big money donors support and paints the challengers as a fringe that no one wants to back with money. In the article one of Graham’s challengers, State Sen. Lee Bright is quoted as saying about running against Graham “I think he’s done a good job of keeping these congressional candidates out of the race.” Also Bright was quoted as saying “I really didn’t want to do it (run against Graham). Of course I didn’t want to run for state Senate either. I hate this stuff.”
Sen. Graham’s voting record does not give a clear indication that he is conservative. With his staunch support of longtime friend Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in the 2008 Presidential election, Graham’s voting record mirrors that of McCain on most issues. Graham was one of the supporters for S-744 which was a bill that tackled immigration reform along with sponsor Chuck Schumer (D-NY); voted for appointing Chuck Hagel as DOD head and also supported the nomination of both Obama appointed Supreme Court Judges Sonya Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Not exactly a conservative track record.
Clearly the liberal media like Politico would much rather see a big spending Republican in Congress than a tea party candidate/conservative who would push to trim spending. South Carolina has a lot to be proud of with elections of conservatives like Governor Niki Haley, Senator Tim Scott, Representatives Jeff Duncan and Trey Gowdy; so it begs to question why the voters would want to send Graham back to serve another 6 years?
Graham’s rational behind his voting record is this: “You know who wants 30 pure Republicans? Harry Reid,” Graham said, in reference to a suggestion by former Senator Jim DeMint, that the party would be better served with 30 rock-ribbed conservatives than 60 who aren’t. “What I want is a party that can grow. … What’s my big sin: 1-in-10 [votes defecting from the party line]? If we’re going to build the party around universal agreement, we become a club.”
Senator Graham I believe the citizens of South Carolina are tired of the “go along to get along” gang that forgot what they were sent to Washington to do by the people. It appears that Graham can take his career in politics as a lucrative one and put his best face forward just long enough for voters to send him back. Let’s hope this June Sen. Graham is instead sent home packing and a new face with true conservative values replaces him in that seat at Washington.
