Ace is talking smack even though he knows full well 99% of the people vowing to sit out if the shamnesty passes will bite down and vote Republican in ’08 anyway. So let’s stop talking about some Grand Boycott as a reaction to the Grand Bargain. It’s not going to happen. Let’s instead identify a single object of scorn on whom to focus, and then beat his ass red in a primary challenge. I’m still skeptical that the, ahem, “rightroots” will ever play a major role in defeating any candidates, particularly an incumbent senator, but the practice will be good for us.

And I know just the guy we can practice on.

Furious Republican loyalists lobby online for someone — anyone — to step forward and challenge Graham in the 2008 primary when he seeks re-election…

The names of possible GOP primary challengers to Graham fly across the Internet:

Gov. Mark Sanford and Rep. Gresham Barrett. Attorney General Henry McMaster. Charlie Condon, Mark McBride, Oscar Lovelace. Greg Ryberg and Buddy Witherspoon.

The name mentioned most often is State Treasurer Thomas Ravenel…

With Graham’s high national as well as statewide name recognition and his campaign war chest approaching $4 million, GOP political operatives say, any window for mounting a viable campaign against him is closing fast…

“Anyone who runs against me better get up early and stay late because I think I’ve been one heck of a good senator for my state and my party,” Graham said Thursday in an interview. “I intend to seek office on the basis that I am not afraid to do what needs to be done.“

Thank goodness we have legislators like him and St. John with the guts to dive headfirst off a cliff while lesser men stand there screaming for them to stop. Much better that than some enfeebled Democrat who, though perhaps inclined to vote for amnesty, would cower and shrink from doing so when he saw how enraged his constituents would be by his betrayal.

Mary K once spent a good 20 minutes singing Mark Sanford’s praises to me. He’d be ideal since he has the name recognition to drum up funds, but he’s also got a future in the party that he might not want to jeopardize by instigating a nasty primary fight. Serious exit question, then, presuming that Graham waltzes through to the general election: If the Democrats run a Blue Dog opposite him, should we think the unthinkable and consider donating to him?