Senator Lindsey Graham (R. SC) sounded all big and tough as he was ready to go and vote for the immigration reform bill he helped write:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/...
As some party leaders counsel a strategy of simply trying to get out the white vote more effectively, Graham is not afraid to confront Republicans’ declining fortunes among Hispanics in presidential campaigns—down from 44 percent for George W. Bush in 2004 to 27 percent for Mitt Romney in 2012.
“This is an odd formula for the party to adopt, the fastest growing demographic in the country, and we’re losing votes every election,” he said on Fox News. “It’s one thing to shoot yourself in the foot—just don’t reload the gun. I intend not to reload this gun when it comes to Hispanics. I intend to tear this wall down and pass an immigration reform bill that’s an American solution to an American problem.”
Remember that many conservative populists in his party have been warning of cultural Armageddon if this bill is signed. Rush Limbaugh declared that “the Republican Party is committing suicide” if immigration reform passes. Ann Coulter wrote that “amnesty isn’t just bad for America, it’s the end of America.” Pat Buchanan compared Republicans working to pass immigration reform to Neville Chamberlain appeasing Hitler by giving him the Sudetenland. You get the idea. - The Daily Beast, 6/28/13
Well, the backlash has begun:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Protesters gathered outside of Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) state offices Monday to protest his vote in favor of immigration reform. The tea party protest, sponsored by Freedom Works, a conservative non-profit founded by David Koch, was held to express unhappiness with Graham's support for the Senate's immigration bill -- though Graham is a member of the so-called gang of eight that drafted it.
"We're tired of him being so wishy washy and him sitting on the fence," Charlotte Hendrix, a member of the Florence Tea Party Patriots, told Carolina Live about the protests. "He'll do one thing that's good and do about four or five that's displeasing to us. We want a real conservative to represent us." - Huffington Post, 7/1/13
Here's why these Tea Party protestors are really pissed at Graham:
http://www.heraldonline.com/...
Nine people with the GPS Conservatives for Action political action committee held up signs critical of “Grahamnesty” and voiced their objection to the bill, which would create a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.
The bill – the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act – was written by a group of senators, including Graham, dubbed the “Gang of Eight.”
Graham co-sponsored the bill, which the Senate passed last week, with three other Republican co-sponsors.
Swain Sheppard, treasurer of the GPS group, said the bill is “full of pork.”
He doesn’t trust Homeland Security to protect the border between Mexico and the U.S., he said, and doesn’t support giving undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship.
Citizen rights for undocumented workers, Sheppard said, will ultimately harm the middle class and poor Americans.
Another reason for Sheppard’s opposition to the immigration reform bill is that newly documented workers won’t be penalized, he said, for not having health insurance under “Obamacare” – the Affordable Care Act. - Herald Online, 7/1/13
Here's Graham's response to the protestors:
http://www.carolinalive.com/...
"We have had protestors both in support and opposition to immigration reform. Previously, the evangelical community and conservative religious leaders have held prayer vigils outside our offices encouraging people of faith to support immigration reform. I expect as the process moves forward we will have more people in the community, and across the state, speak out both for and against immigration reform."
"Senator Graham appreciates these individuals, whether in support or opposition, for taking time out of their day to make their voices heard." - Carolina Live, 7/1/13
I'm pretty much convinced that Graham is the Republican Senator to be defeated in his own primary. Saxby Chambliss (R. GA) spared himself the embarrassment by deciding to retire. John Cornyn (R. TX) and Lamar Alexander (R. TN) have reached out to their potential Tea Party challengers to make nice. Tea Party groups have been failing to find strong candidates to go up against Mitch McConnell (R. KY) and Susan Collins (R. ME). So that leaves us with Graham. Graham already has a Tea Party challenger in businessman Richard Cash (R. SC) and State Senator Lee Bright (R. SC) has been seriously eyeing the opportunity to take out Graham. Tea Party groups have been warning Graham about the consequences of voting for immigration reform and despite Graham's big war chest, I don't think that's enough to save him. Even the Benghazi stuff is wearing off. I think this race deserves to be closely watched and we should keep our eye on Libertarian-leaning Democrat Jay Stamper in his bid to unseat Graham. Who knows, Stamper might just get lucky. You can learn more about Stamper's campaign here:
http://www.jaystamper.com/