Two New Polls Show Graham Tanking
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s public support is collapsing in South Carolina – driven by a wholesale revolt among the GOP electorate and a steady erosion of his support amongst independents.
Already consistently loathed by a solid third of GOP voters, Graham’s recent leftward bent – including his co-authoring of a controversial “Cap & Tax” proposal supported by President Barack Obama and liberal Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) – has him locked in a “terminal free fall,” according one prominent Republican consultant.
“A chunk of the GOP has always detested him, but in the last month a dam has broken,” said the consultant, who was granted anonymity to discuss the impact of two recent polls that were conducted in South Carolina (one allegedly by Graham’s own advisors). “More Republicans now oppose Sen. Graham than support him. Independents are also deserting him in huge numbers.”
Even more troubling for Graham is there doesn’t seem to be a way out of the box. In fact, both polls reportedly showed that the more the national liberal establishment and local environmentalists rally to Graham’s defense, the worse things get for him.
That has sparked a heated debate within Graham’s camp as to how to best manage the situation.
“He needs positive messages desperately,” said a source familiar with the discussions. “But the only available messengers seem to be doing more harm than good.”
As reported on FITS ( here, here and here), some of the nation’s most liberal funding groups have come to Graham’s defense on the issue – while South Carolina Republicans (even moderate Coastal ones) are once again furious at another betrayal of their core beliefs.
Specific numbers were not provided to FITS, but Graham’s team was supposed to have received its poll results on Wednesday.
Sources also tell FITS that after viewing those polling numbers, Graham’s team compelled former SCGOP Chairman Katon Dawson to throw Lindsey a bone earlier this week in an effort to stop the bleeding among Republican voters.
Stay tuned …
Comments
By William on November 14th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
1. This is good news. He has sold us out time and time again.
2. He can repair his image and regain our support by ACTIVELY work to defeat Cap and Trade, and Obama Heath Care Reform.
It is simple really. But he will never do it. Compromise, as he calls surrender, is in his DNA.
By JR on November 14th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
You used the wrong spelling of dam in your quote. It’s “dam” not “damn.”
By countryboy on November 14th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Time for Lindsey (appropriate girls name) to go!
By WorkingTommyC on November 14th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
The more you bleed a media vampire like Gaham dry, the more thirsty he’ll become.
Watch him twist and turn in the wind! This should be entertaining.
He’s doing exactly what he did in the campaign. He’s not showing his face in public much for fear of being protested and he’s smothering the airwaves (through proxies this time) with blather promoting him. This time it’s all about his cap and tax corporate welfare scheme rather than promoting himself as a conservative.
By me on November 14th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
can south carolinians hold a recall election like people did in cali?
By CNSYD on November 14th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Wishful thinking FITS. It won’t happen. Beating an incumbent Senator is next to impossible. What do you want, two Demints?
By PasserBy on November 14th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
FITS:
I don’t get it. This shouldn’t surprise anyone, or at least anyone who pay attention. Remember the “gang of 14″? That was in 05, people, and should have been a HUGE hint.
I recall the signs for the under-funded fellow who challenged LG *just last year* (Witherspoon): His slogan was something like “Lindsey’s too liberal for South Carolina” (ya think?). I’m not talking about Conley (the Dem. challenger), who he beat. I think anyone who voted for him last year and is carping now should have looked in the mirror back then. How many of the Repubs in Charleston who censored him voted for him ONE YEAR AGO? If he’s so freakin’ off the radar screen, couldn’t some conservate worth a crap have run against him?
By James the Foot Soldier on November 14th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Actually – Senator Graham has done an outstanding job this year – his positions on the Stimulus and Health Care and Gitmo were refreshing. The Senate cap and tax will look noting like the House version – not ALL legislation is the death of the republic – and voting no on everything scores you a ticket on the first plane to Argentina….
By HSPD on November 15th, 2009 at 12:03 am
“a damn has broken” made me laugh.
By Physician on November 15th, 2009 at 12:35 am
Lindsey has cosponsored a bill to allow all medicare benificiaries to be diagnosised and treated by physical therapists at the patient’s request(not physician referral).
Got an achy back and a Medicare number then join the crowd in elevating the cost of medicare forever.
Or save some money,lives and have physicians refer after a dagnosis has been made. That achy shoulder might be a heart attack.
Lindsey is off the reservation.
By CNSYD on November 15th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Physician, SC claims to be anti union and right to work. Well physicians are members of one of the strongest labor unions in the US. It is called the AMA.
By Bawney Fwank on November 15th, 2009 at 8:59 am
You meanies thop picking on Winsie, I think he’s cute and he’s welcome to warm my globals anytime.
By ethel krabitz on November 15th, 2009 at 10:57 am
“Two New Polls Show Graham Tanking”
ummmmm…………no shit.
they had to pay pollsters to figure this out?
By Sunny on November 15th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Fabulous journalism.
An unnamed source says polls show Graham is tanking, but we don’t have the numbers to show you. Yeppers, I’m convinced.
Just for the record:
1) I’ve been a Republican for nearly 30 years
2) I strongly support Sen. Graham
3) I strongly support any effort that helps push America away from depedence on oil producing nations who direct some of our own money to fund folks who want to kill us
4) I strongly support a SC senator actually *participating* in Senate bills, in order to mitigate some more egregious Democratic ideas, and help streamline the process to get two proposed nuclear plants up and running in SC (jobs, cheaper, cleaner energy, and that same goal of energy independence)
5) Cap and trade is a market-based solution first implemented by Reagan and then Bush 1.
BUT those for whom knee jerk animosity toward Sen. Graham is habitual and pleasurable can continue to comprise the 20% (and shrinking) population of America which still calls itself Republican.
By Liberty For Me on November 15th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Hey foot soldier…Get a clue.If the “green” energy plan he is behind was so conservative,why would the communist agenda be paying for commercials for him every five minutes.?
By Cooter Brown on November 15th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Deirs nutin’ th’ gud peoples of South Carolinie can do ’bout the scalawag sice wee wuz disenfranchized in 1913:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxvii.html
Befo dat (Whin giants walked the earth!), th’ states culd snatch a traider lik’ him by the skruff ov hiz nek, send him bak t’ whare in da hell hee came frum, an’ replace him wit someone hoo wuld do rite…
Oh yea, dat was also da year congresh decided dat dey owned yer labour:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.amendmentxvi.html
an’ culd print all de dam monies day wanted:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve_System
More damage dune t’ th’ citizens ov dis state (dont kare ’bout th’ others, James) dan since th’ war ov yankee invashun!
By anonymous on November 15th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Graham and Sanfraud belong together.
Sanfraud and Graham sitting in a tree K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
By Georgia Bulldozer on November 15th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
CNSYD, lol, you are completely uninformed. A minority of physicians are AMA members, and even fewer are active members. The organization boosts its numbers by giving free books to medical students for a free four-year membership. It’s a loud organization that’s all bark and no bite…it has no power and certainly is no union!
By Richard on November 15th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
CNSYD: Less than half of all doctors in this country are members of the AMA, and in S.C. much fewer than that.
By Dan on November 15th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
It time the Republicans offered up some candidates who aren’t Democratic light.
A fast ride or a slow ride to socialism isn’t an option.
Give us two futures we can choose from and let the chips fall.
By JIMV on November 15th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
“That has sparked a heated debate within Graham’s camp as to how to best manage the situation.”
He could do the unimaginable…say “I work for the people and those folk are telling me loud and clear that my positions on a few issues do not reflect the will of my party and my voters. From today I vow to reverse my positions and efforts on Cap and Tax and other similar issues and represent my voters and South Carolina. I ask my voters to watch my actions and votes and judge me on how I actually govern”…
Now we know we are dealing with a politician, worse a Senator, a breed that believes they have a divine right to the position and that they are smarter than the rabble who elect them. As a result, he will go down and not know why.
By Abdul Kareema Wheat on November 15th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Thank God he’s tanking….every time I hear that whiny barnyard sissie explaining why he’s a sissie….I want to take him out to the barn. Man up sissie…people in SC ain’t buying your gay Charleston jive anymore.
By EricTheRed on November 15th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
CNSYD
I believe that less than 20% of physicians are members of the AMA. And yes, two Demints would be a big improvement!
By Jim on November 15th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Also remember we owe Sotomayor’s position on the US Supreme court to “McCain Lite” Lindsey Graham. One republican vote is required to move her out of committee. He was that vote.
By jonnot on November 15th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
I am a Conservative and usually vote Republican, however I voted for Democrat Conley in the 2008 SC election, hoping to thwart Graham. I don’t know what “James the Foot Soldier” has been smoking, but this idiot Graham has been wrong on every important issue that concerns Conservatives: he is FOR amnesty for illegals, he is FOR crap & tax, is PRO stimulus and ready to bend over anytime the Democrats need an across-the-aisle vote. This traitor needs to be voted out of office!
By james ramsdell on November 15th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
I believe in giving credit where credit is due.
Thank you, Pres. Obama , for doing a great job energizing conservatives all across the nation.
One by one, the moderate Republicans will begin to fall, and their conservative replacements will begin the difficult task of correcting the disastrous policies of Obama/Pelosi and pull this country out of the liberal dumpster it’s been in for 11 months.
By Bill R. on November 15th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
By CNSYD on November 15th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Physician, SC claims to be anti union and right to work. Well physicians are members of one of the strongest labor unions in the US. It is called the AMA.
Don’t know where you ever got that idea. Only close to 20% of doctors belong to it. The AMA is well out of the mainstream and is irrelevant on any issue. Most doctors dislike the AMA.
By DaveP. on November 15th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Go tell those bigots to shut up, Lindsay.
By Russ D on November 15th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
The good Senator is the republican Chuck Schumer, he’s always seeking a camera to espouse his sometimes questionable views.
By Midas on November 15th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Get lost, Graham – you’re stinking up the room. Amnesty, cap and trade, ‘climate change’ hoax, etc – GET OUT!
By TulsaMark on November 15th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Lindsey Graham is a sell-out. He, like McCain, is democrat-lite. Please, people of South Carolina, vote him out next election, and in the meantime, protest at his offices. He needs to know that he is out-of-step with America, out-of-step with conservatives, and we want him out!
By TulsaMark on November 15th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Most doctors know that the AMA doesn’t represent them. It’s been turned into a liberal front group for the Democrats. The irony is incredible, the AMA doesn’t represent doctors or their interests, and the AARP doesn’t represent seniors. Both of these liberal organizations are selling out their memberships!
By GMartine on November 15th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
How absolutely absurd that liberal environmental groups are supporting Graham. He is a big player in the neo-con war agenda.
Do Liberals forget that war is the most destructive force against the environment or that the Pentagon is the biggest polluter and consumer of fossile fuels out of all non-nation groups in the world?
Are these “environmentalists” that support him really that stupid?
By MAtt on November 15th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
byebye Grahmy
By Rita on November 15th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I was shocked that Graham won his recent election after calling his constituents a bunch of racist bigots because they didn’t want the shamasty he and his side kick McCain was trying to shove through a couple of years ago when they, and Bush, tried to pass amnesty for illegal aliens! Seems to me people never learn or learn to late!
By RustyG on November 15th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
As a famous S.C. Senator once told La Raza…… it’s time for all you racists to just shut up.
By linda on November 15th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
The day he dissed Glen Beck I was through with him……
By TexKen on November 15th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Another entrenched bureaucrat RINO strongly supported by anti America exceptionalism libs after deserting his constituents. How does he stop the bleeding? Run out of blood.
By David on November 15th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
As Hoffman an unknown guy off the street proved by almost winning after conservatives bucked the GOP in droves.Poor ol Lindseys under that same microscope.Intresting if Hoffman gets any closer,I wonder if they will do a full recount.4 counties reported wrong results,how many others did as well?Knowing acorners were running rampant up there,I wonder how many dead people voted?Grahams RINO statigey will end up costing him his seat to a conservative opponent who opposes every single issue position the democrats favor.Lets see if Lindsey still loves RINOs and votes as one next year.
By Jerry Crane on November 15th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
I live in SC and can tell you that Lindsey was a pretty good congressman and a terrible senator. He now believes that he is somehow part of the aristocracy an not beholden to his constituency. He has routinely taken positions that are completely our of sync with the people he represents. Unfortunately he has 5 more years before he can be replaced. By that time he may well be a Democrat.
By Soft Sigh From Hell on November 15th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Good luck on unseating an incumbent senator in South Carolina. When pigs fly. Not impossible, but mighty unlikely. And it would do nothing but increase the chances for the Democratic challenger. You’ll hold your noses and vote for Lindsey again. That trailing “R” will eclipse all else, as always.
By Scott on November 15th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Instead of conspiring with John Kerry to produce Cap and Tax he should be working to defeat the communists takeover of America. There is no global warming. The cooling of the climate in this decade has effectively wiped out the the so-called one degree celsius increase in global temperatures in the twentieth century. The jury is in folks… Cap and Tax is merely a Trojan Horse for the Federal Government to raise trillions more in taxes off the backs of working Americans. Note to the Feds…You better be working on reducing spending by about 25% over the next few years. We are not going to take more taxes without a fight…And, running trillion dollar deficits year after year will quickly turn us into a banana republic…Not an option for our great nation. Get a clue Lindsey. You are a fraud…We’re coming for you!!!
By Boggs on November 15th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
All the RINO’s are in trouble. Does it look bad for the GOP? You bet. Do I care? Hell no. I’ll lose a few elections and keep my core principles thank you.
By Bobby on November 15th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
1. Lindsey doesn’t care.
2. Enough Democrats like the fact that Senator Graham is a statesman to keep him in office.
3. He isn’t up for reelection again until 2014, so the idea that anything in your article matters is foolish.
4. I really hope the conservative fundamentalists in our country continue to toss men like Lindsey Graham out of the Republican Party. He is the only one speaking out against the extremist Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter wing of the party, and the less everyone else heeds his warnings, the more elections Democrats will win.
By LaFong on November 15th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Somebody in the SC legislature should introduce a law allowing for recall of US Senators like 18 other states in the union.
By CNSYD on November 15th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Looks like I struck a nerve on the AMA. I don’t care how many SC doctors don’t belong. Just like the Teamsters Union did irt non union truck lines, they drive up the rates. So you non AMA docs benefit and can hide behind the “I am not a member” curtain. Just remember when socialized medicine arrives, look in the mirror to see why. Avarice is apparently part of the oath.
By CNSYD on November 15th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Eric The Red, tell me what blockbuster committees Demint is on and who in the Senate pays any attention to him. OK, time’s up. So you want 2 zeroes?
By KMarx on November 15th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
A “damn” has broken? Was Rev. Wright involved?
By marvin on November 15th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
james ramsdell, the “liberal dumpster” of the last 11 months? Are you kidding me? How about the “Republican dumpster” of 8 years of George W. Bush!? It’s going to take a long time to fix the problems that the Bush/Cheney admin. gave this country. Americans would be absolutely INSANE to give the Republicans the key to this country again so soon after they nearly drove us over a ledge.
By twolaneflash on November 15th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Lindsey Graham is Barney Franks in drag.
By Mohanna on November 16th, 2009 at 12:36 am
I would comment but “When your enemies are destroying themselves, STEP BACK and let it happen” (Sun Tsu, the art of war).Only in the South do Republicans think the rest of the Country also think Sarah Palin is their true leader to get them out of the wilderness. Republicans are doing exactly the opposite of what their Revered, Most Exhalted Leader, Ronald Reagan told them NEVER TO DO-Never speak badly of a fellow Republican. LMAO
By Randy on November 16th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Don’t think Graham has gone off the reservation?? The Senator’s largest backer in the climate scam, running radio commercials all day in Charleston, is The Southern Alliance For Clean Energy: http://www.cleanenergy.org/ Go to that website and look at the major contributors. Write down those names (Rockefeller Family Fund, Town Creek Foundation, Turner Foundation, The Regeneration Project, Westwind Foundation, Blue Moon Fund, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Sapelo Foundation and the Wallace Global Fund) and do some homework. By searching those names on activistcash.com you will see the prime backers of groups like The Tides Foundation, The Sierra Club, Greenpeace and Ruckus amoung many others. So bottom line: Lindsey Graham is being backed in the Global Warming scam by the worst bottom feeders of the “green” movement.
By TotalWench on November 16th, 2009 at 9:49 am
You “real, true-blue Republicans”are just a bunch of overprivileged cry-babies. You couldn’t manage this country out of a wet paper bag. All you can do is sit in front of Fox News and whine about how Republicans like Graham, who understand the art of politics way more than you ever will, are allegedly selling out the party.
Grow up and join the real world. If you don’t like how he’s doing it, why aren’t more of you geniuses volunteering to help the save the country with your fabulous ideas????
By Liberty For Me on November 16th, 2009 at 10:29 am
Totalwench (I am sure an appropriate name)…You sure us a lot of words just to say you are either un-educated on issues or have a communist agenda…..or your just a complete idiot.There are no other answers to your views
By TotalWench on November 16th, 2009 at 10:44 am
When Republicans can use proper spelling in their insults, I will be more impressed.
By Stevebob on November 16th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Cap and trade is a $hit sandwich. Senator Lindsey knows it’s a $hit sandwich but he thinks that if he snuggles up to John Kerry and Barack Obama he can get them to make the sandwich with a little less $hit in it. Maybe get them to add some pickles and mustard to make it more palatable. For all that It’s still a $hit sandwich.
By Old Bike Dude on November 16th, 2009 at 11:56 am
So when did FITS start advertising during the Glenn Beck show?
Sen Graham will be around when Glen Beck is finally committed and Sara Palin’s tits are as long as her line of bullshit.
And James the Footsoldier…well said.
By Changein2012 on November 16th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
When will these weasels learn? Defrauding the American public and picking our pockets is no way to get re-elected, unless you are a Democrat. I am an environmentalist and would like nothing better than to end our foreign oil dependence, but this Crap & Tax bill does nothing for either concern. Surprise folks, the politicians are lying to us again.
By Old Bike Dude on November 16th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Hey Vagina Turtle. You’d think if someone could cut and paste websites then they could write like something other than a fucking moron.
By Call me Stupid on November 17th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Wtf is a “vagina turtle”?
By Lysander Spooner on November 17th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Graham has one obvious solution — officially switch to the Democrat Party. He might as well do so since he acts like a Democrat. Leave the Republican Party to the one true defender of liberty in Congress: Ron Paul!
By Marcello on November 17th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Graham could have saved himself a few points by not attacking Ron Paul. Graham loves big government and is a lackey of the defense industry. I think Graham should come out of the closet and join the Democrat Party. Hopefully the residents of South Carolina will send him packing.
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