Sen. has a message. Lindsey Graham for Donald Trump: Stop focusing on grievance politics | Palmetto Politics

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MOUNT PLEASANT In a recent phone call with Donald Trump, Republican US Sen. Lindsey Graham is the former president who is considering changing course when it comes to his 2024 White House bid.

“I told him to talk more about the future,” Graham said before issuing a warning to the former GOP frontrunner: “Grievances only give your opponents an opening.”

Graham shared details of the June 18 call in an interview with The Post and Courier on June 20. The South Carolina Republican has been one of Trump’s most vocal backers. He frequently defended Trump on national television and was also a key member of his leadership team in South Carolina, an early primary state.

Despite Graham’s private and public urgings, Trump has made settling past political scores a central feature of his 2024 presidential campaign. Graham said the former president wanted to discuss his upcoming rally in the South Carolina at Pickens. The July 1 event will be Trump’s second campaign event in South Carolina but the first is open to the public.

Graham said they also discussed Trump’s current status in the early primary state, which is also home to two of Trump’s challengers for the Republican presidential nomination: Former Gov. Nikki Haley and US Sen. Tim Scott.

And what about the 37 federal felony charges Trump faces over his handling of classified documents and accusations that he obstructed government efforts to retrieve them?

“I told him I thought the indictment backlash would probably help him rather than hurt him in South Carolina,” Graham said.

Graham’s comments came after he spoke at length to local reporters in the Charleston area on June 20, where he emphasized that South Carolina is a must-win state for anyone hoping to become the nominee. in the GOP presidency.

Asked if he thought the race for the 2024 GOP nomination was sealed for Trump, Graham struck a confident, but cautious tone.

“Well, Trump has a commanding lead, but no, it’s not over. So many things can happen,” Graham said.

He said Republicans have “an embarrassment of riches in terms of options” in the 2024 contest, calling Scott and Haley “two dear friends running there.” Graham added praise for Trump’s chief rival for the GOP nomination, saying Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has “one heck of a record as governor.”

“The biggest challenge for President Trump is convincing Republicans that he can win,” Graham continued. “And as I see the race unfolding here, I think if President Trump can focus on the future, talk about what he did as president versus what’s happening now, he has a very good chance of winning.”

Then, Graham declared, “The primary in South Carolina is for President Trump to lose.”

In the wide-ranging interview, Graham also offered additional thoughts on several topics, including abortion, the war in Ukraine and his view on who might be the contender for the 2024 GOP veepstakes.

GOP nominee should consider Haley, Scott for VP pick

Graham said, in blunt terms, that whoever becomes the GOP presidential nominee needs to consider South Carolina rivals Scott and Haley as their vice president.

“If you’re the nominee of the Republican Party and you’re not looking at Tim and Nikki, you’re a fool,” Graham said. “You have to look at them. They have a lot to offer. They bring a lot to the table. They can handle the world stage.”

Graham referred to Haley, a former United Nations ambassador, as “the gold standard” when it comes to foreign policy. He called Scott “literally the nicest person I’ve ever met” who understands the economy and offers a positive message.

The campaigns for Scott and Haley have separately pushed back against claims that they are running for No. 2 slots. “But if they fall short,” Graham said, “I think a vice president is possible for both of them.”

Graham calls out 2024 GOP candidates for unclear stance on abortion

Graham said he would reintroduce legislation to create a federal ban on abortions within 15 weeks as he tries to get Republicans to reach a unified consensus on the issue in a post-Roe America.

“Some Republicans say abortion is a states’ rights issue. I reject that,” Graham said. “Abortion is a human rights issue. At 15 weeks, no matter where you are conceived, the baby sucks their thumb, they feel the pain.”

Graham said he is looking for a presidential nominee to “embrace this concept.”

During the election cycle, Republican candidates faced pressure from powerful anti-abortion groups to support a national ban like the 15-week proposal Graham is proposing. For example, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America said it would not support any candidate for the White House who did not even support a 15-week federal abortion ban.

“That’s not too much to ask of a potential nominee,” Graham said. He then pushed the idea that abortion should be left up to the states. He compared this to states deciding the legality of slavery.

“I think there’s a role in protecting the unborn in Washington. Some states own slaves and some don’t. That’s wrong. No state should own a person,” Graham said, and adding that he thinks the states should be allowed. to go further but there should be a national standard at 15 weeks.

Graham said he will travel to Iowa on June 21, where he will meet with pro-life leaders to discuss the federal role of abortion in a post-Roe America. Saturday will mark one year since the Supreme Court issued a decision that overturned nearly 50 years of legal precedent, removing constitutional protections for abortion.

Should China be involved in negotiations with Ukraine?

In a June 20 interview on NPR’s “Morning Edition,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he would welcome China’s participation in negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine.

But Graham disagreed with the approach offered by America’s top diplomat.

“China is in the Russian camp,” Graham said, adding that he recently returned from Ukraine. He predicted that Ukraine would succeed in its counteroffensive to try to drive the Kremlins forces out of the occupied territories if America continued to provide military aid.

“It’s in our interests to stop Putin,” Graham said, adding, “I would be wary of any deal that China offers, but I’ll leave that up to Ukraine.”

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