Neoconservative South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham acknowledged that the 2024 Republican nomination for President is all but assured to go to Donald Trump in the event the former President runs, predicting he’d win back the US presidential throne in the event he wages a “disciplined” campaign.
Graham made the prediction speaking with Fox News’ Pete Hegseth on Wednesday. In his remarks, Graham recognized the political reality attested to by nearly every tentative 2024 GOP poll, all of which show Trump leading other candidates and frequently capturing a majority of Republican support.
“Unless there’s something coming out of left field I don’t see coming, it’s his nomination if he wants it,” Graham said of Trump’s path to renomination. “The Republican base appreciated him. We don’t appreciate all the things he does sometimes. But from a policy point of view, he was the most successful president from a conservative’s point of view since Ronald Reagan.”
Graham and Trump had a politically mixed but friendly relationship during the latter’s tenure on the presidential throne, with Graham seeking to influence Trump to implement a neoconservative-leaning foreign policy. Graham differed considerably from his late friend, Senator John McCain, in styling himself as a Trump supporter, defending the President on issues of agreement and supporting his reelection in 2020.
Graham predicted Trump would win the 2024 election against his Democrat opponent in the event he runs a “disciplined” campaign, advice that very well could be used for any candidate for any political office. The South Carolina Senator cited President Trump’s considerable policy accomplishments on matters such as the southern border, the Middle East, ISIS, and American energy independence, contrasting them with political uselessness of Joe Biden.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has appeared with support ranging from the tens to twenties in 2024 GOP primary polling, but it’s unclear if DeSantis, known to be close to Trump, even intends to run. Liberal Republican Chris Christie is expected to wage a protest campaign of sorts.