While making some noise in Iowa would be nice, it is the Granite State—where his support for comprehensive immigration reform, environmental protection and other conservative apostasies won’t necessarily kill him—that would serve as the focal point of his early campaign maneuverings, Graham’s allies agree.
“Lindsey’s going to be well received in New Hampshire,” said Katon Dawson, a longtime South Carolina-based Graham adviser who is already signed on to work for Rick Perry’s likely presidential campaign. “Lindsey is a very personally polished, good retail campaigner.”
In addition to his politicking prowess—a skill that is highly prized in the first-in-the-nation primary state—Graham also has an ace in the hole in the form of McCain, whose own bond with New Hampshire Republicans runs deep after they awarded him victories in both the 2000 and 2008 primaries.
It’s not hard to imagine a scenario in which the 78-year-old Arizona senator deigns to scrape the rust off the ol’ Straight Talk Express for one more joy ride through town hall meetings from Nashua to the North Country—only this time with the 59-year-old South Carolinian, whom he jokes is his “illegitimate son,” in tow.
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