DeMint makes 2008 tougher for Graham

2007-07-03

Source: The Hill

Praise that conservatives are pouring on Sen. Jim DeMint for his prominent role in defeating the immigration bill last week is adding to the woes of South Carolina's other Republican senator, Lindsey Graham.

In a bid to oust Graham from office in next June's primary elections, South Carolina conservatives are trying to find a Republican candidate whose political leanings are like DeMint's.

"There are frequent conversations where people say, 'We sure appreciate what Jim has done, but we don't know what is wrong with Lindsey,'" said David Woodard, a former campaign manager for Graham and now a political scientist at Clemson University. "[Graham] is in pretty serious trouble."

For weeks, the senior senator from South Carolina has been vilified by conservatives, who have coined the term "Grahamnesty," referring to his central role in attempting to push through an immigration bill that would have created a pathway to citizenship for some 12 million illegal immigrants.

That follows the ire Graham drew from the right in 2005 for joining the so-called Gang of 14 to break a partisan standoff over President Bush�s judicial nominees, and his backing for a compromise Social Security overhaul that some saw as a tax increase. Graham is also closely associated with presidential aspirant Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), whose 2000 bid for the Republican nomination was derailed partly due to fierce opposition by South Carolina conservative activists.

Graham says he has sought to solve problems despite the political risks. "I hope one thing I've proved is that the risk I'm unwilling to accept is walking away," he told The Hill minutes after the immigration bill was defeated last week. This has brought scant praise from his right-wing critics.

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