Lindsay Graham goes all-in on immigration
A red-state Republican senator up for reelection and seen as vulnerable to a primary challenge from the right embraces a plan to allow illegal immigrants to gain U.S. citizenship — a lightning rod for GOP primary voters if there ever was one.
Seems unthinkable on its face. Yet that’s precisely what Lindsey Graham did last week. And the remarkable thing is, there’s no sign of a backlash in his home state, South Carolina — at least not yet.
It’s a reflection of both Graham’s political strength and his party’s rapid evolution on immigration since its November licking among Latinos.
Long viewed with suspicion among the right wing — in no small part because of his 2007 endorsement of the Kennedy-McCain immigration reform bill — Graham apparently feels safe enough heading into 2014 to stick his neck out again on a politically perilous debate he obviously cares about deeply.
Blowback
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I suspect you meant to type Lindsey Graham wants immigrants all in him
harlekwin15 on February 4, 2013 at 7:02 PM
Yeah. Funny thing, that.
Kent18 on February 4, 2013 at 7:03 PM
lol, Yep, he’s good to go. Everything is fine little sugar.
arnold ziffel on February 4, 2013 at 7:07 PM
Oh, there is backlash here in South Carolina.
SouthernGent on February 4, 2013 at 7:07 PM
Has he told the bigots to shut up, yet?
mchristian on February 4, 2013 at 7:09 PM
There are also two Senate races in South Carolina in 2014. Which some have speculated will help insulate Graham from meaningful primary challenges. However, that does means less divided conservative opposition.
steebo77 on February 4, 2013 at 7:11 PM
Didn’t people used to say “Grahamnesty” or something like that last time?
Dongemaharu on February 4, 2013 at 7:18 PM
You mean all the Rev. Wright-type racists that re-installed Obama into a second term? Nah, unlike you, we don’t seek to silence dissent. That doesn’t mean we won’t make fun of you, however.
crrr6 on February 4, 2013 at 7:23 PM
“Oh, but you know, he IS with us 80% of the time, after all…!”
/CINO apologists
Kent18 on February 4, 2013 at 7:23 PM
i suspect lindsey knows he’s going down the toile in 2014. he’s just lining his pockets with some la raza pesos before the gig is up.
renalin on February 4, 2013 at 7:23 PM
No matter what, Mr. Courage will wait until the last 20 seconds of the vote, see which way it’s headed, and vote with the majority; he can always run back and change it if he got the count wrong.
Graham is another lifer hack who would do anything to stay in power.
Bishop on February 4, 2013 at 7:29 PM
Legalization if you must, but no green card/citizenship.
besser tot als rot on February 4, 2013 at 7:37 PM
South Carolina – you know what needs to be done.
CorporatePiggy on February 4, 2013 at 7:47 PM
Those are Lindsay’s words, not mine, from a 2007 speech to La Raza in which he takes a page from the democrat playbook to demonize people who do not agree with him on immigration, but I’m sure you knew that. Or not. Go ahead and make fun.
mchristian on February 4, 2013 at 7:59 PM
No, Lindsey can expect a challenge from Tom Davis, who I will send gobs of money to to defeat the little Napoleon.
Firefly_76 on February 4, 2013 at 8:29 PM
What backlash…?
His reelection is almost two years away.
Get back to me in summer of 2014.
NeoKong on February 4, 2013 at 8:49 PM
Let’s send Graham on an all-expense-paid camping trip with his BFF McCain for two weeks on the US-Mexican border.
onlineanalyst on February 4, 2013 at 9:44 PM
In a few years half the country is going to be dual citizens with a hostile border nation for which they have more loyalty and also total hostility for the laws of the US. The politicians will destroy the US if it means they can get more votes.
Buddahpundit on February 4, 2013 at 9:48 PM
Rush doesn’t call him Lindsay Grahmnesty for nothing
sadsushi on February 4, 2013 at 10:02 PM