Graham rolls with Republican punches

By: Lee Bandy - The State
Jul 2, 2007 07:51 AM EST
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Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham is in deep trouble with hard-core conservative members of his own party because of his support of President Bush's presumably failed immigration reform package.

Some even are threatening to run a candidate against him in next June's GOP primary.

So far, no one has stepped forward.

"Lindsey will get an opponent," predicted Francis Marion University political scientist Neal Thigpen, a Republican activist. "The only question is will the candidate be any one of stature."

Conservative talk radio hosts have made life miserable for Graham. Some in the state, as well as outside, are calling the senator "a Ted Kennedy toady."

Rush Limbaugh has taken to calling him "Lindsey Grah-amnesty."

Recently, InsiderAdvantage/Majority Opinion, an Atlanta-based polling firm, sampled 790 S.C. registered voters in an automated telephone survey and found overwhelming opposition - 63 percent - to Bush's proposed immigration overhaul.

Worse for Graham, 40 percent said they disapprove of the job the senator is doing, a trend that could spell trouble for Graham.

Graham dismisses the Insider survey - the type of survey viewed skeptically by many - as nonsense. He said he has never allowed himself to be governed by the polls - "real or bogus."

While some hard-core conservatives are lobbying online for someone to step forward to challenge Graham, their candidate recruitment drive has fallen short.

That causes some to question whether Graham really is trouble with the GOP's most faithful.

"If Lindsey Graham were as vulnerable as his critics say he is, they'd be lining up to run against him," said Republican pollster Whit Ayres of Washington. "So far, there have been zero. Zilch."

Robert Botsch, a University of South Carolina-Aiken professor, said if Graham has a problem it's likely to be in the GOP primary with its hard-core conservative base.

The general election is safe for Graham, Botsch maintains. "He is the closest thing we've had to a Democratic senator in a long time," Botsch noted.

Even Democrats agree.

Last year, Joe Erwin of Greenville, immediate past chairman of the S.C. Democratic Party, was asked what Democrat might challenge Graham in 2008. Erwin doubted anyone would.

"We already have our best Democrat up there in Lindsey," Erwin quipped.

Graham has raised nearly $4 million for his re-election bid, enough to discourage many opponents.

Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle, an opponent of the Bush immigration plan and a bitter critic of Graham, conceded there's no stopping the senator.

"He's got the money. And the candidate with the money wins, or should I say, 'buys the election,'" Eargle adds.

Graham shows no sign of worry. He insists he's ready.

Bring 'em on, Republican or Democrat, he invites.

Graham said he has faith in the people of South Carolina.

"When South Carolinians are fairly informed about the immigration reform proposal, there is majority support for it," the senator said.

Graham suggested last Sunday that opponents of the now-likely dead immigration deal border on being racists.

"We've been down this road before - no Catholics, no Jews. Irish need not apply," Graham said on ABC's "This Week.'"

Graham, with an assist from Sen. Kennedy, D-Mass., played a major role in drafting the compromise.

S.C. Republican audiences have taken to booing the senator at public functions. Letters to the editor are not kind, some downright vicious.

Kevin Powell of Elgin, whose letter was published in The State, vowed he would do everything in his power to ensure the defeat of Graham.

"People are in an ugly mood out there," Thigpen said.

If Republicans could recruit a formidable foe for Graham - one with money or access to it - it would be "Katie bar the door" for Graham, Thigpen said.

Thus far, they haven't. That, combined with the senator's campaign war chest, should translate into six more years in the Senate for Graham.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0707/4750.html