Can Republican Closet Case Lindsey Graham Survive A Primary?

"I am running to replace Senator Lindsey Graham because I believe that after 20 years in Washington he is out of touch with South Carolina values and voters. Although Senator Graham might be hard-working and sincere, I cannot distinguish his core principles and can no longer trust his judgment. It is time for a new voice in Washington. We need a voice that represents Christian, conservative, and Republican principles instead of the latest bi-partisan 'deal' that simply makes matters worse."

-Richard Cash

Cash is running against Lindsey Graham for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat Graham has been in ever since he helped shepherd the impeachment of Bill Clinton through the House. Cash is already attacking him for not being Christian enough, probably an allusion to Graham's covert homosexuality. Although Graham calls himself a "lifelong bachelor," it is common knowledge in Washington that he's a closet case and a notorious hypocrite. Cash is much further to the right-- most would classify him as an extremist-- but that plays well away from the coastal communities. Graham is not trusted by Republicans in his home state. His approval rating among all voters is 43.9% and his approval rating among Republicans has dropped 14 points in 2 months, according to a poll from Winthrop University.

So far two candidates-- Cash and Spartanburg state Senator Lee Bright-- are running against him in the primary and a third, right-wing activist Nancy Mace, famous for being the first woman to graduate from the Citadel, is thinking of jumping in as well. A crowded primary could force Graham into a run-off.

Cash, who owns ice cream trucks came within a few votes in 2010 of beating now-Congressman Jeff Duncan, another Confederate extremist-- in a runoff election. Cash has a Master's Degree from the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and is complaining about Graham's vote to confirm Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. He's also been attacking him for being too liberal on immigration reform and gun control.

The first Democrat to declare for the seat is a Columbia businessman, Jay Stamper. If he wins, he'd be the first Democrat to represent South Carolina in the Senate since 2005. “Too many South Carolinians are unemployed or underemployed and struggling to keep up with the rising costs of healthcare and education,” he writes on his campaign website. “I’m running because someone needs to stand up to the politicians in Washington D.C. who would rather invest in nation-building overseas than nation-building right here in the United States. Our strength as a country depends on the strength of our economy and that means investing in education, infrastructure and research to create jobs here at home.”

Earlier today I spoke with Jay about his campaign. One of the topics we spoke about was how he feels about the Obama-Boehner Chained CPI scheme to reduce Social Security benefits. It's not something that Jay, a very independent-minded Democrat, can get behind. He told me he thinks "the president and Members of Congress should take this bad idea off the table." Jay Stamper:

"Some members of Congress want to reduce benefits for the most vulnerable members of our society by replacing the current Consumer Price Index with one that grows more slowly, the so-called 'Chained CPI.'

"I strongly oppose the adoption of the Chained CPI for two main reasons.

"First, adopting the Chained CPI is the wrong prescription for our economy. If the proposal is adopted, the total disposable income of millions of Americans will be slashed, reducing the consumer spending that our economy relies on to create jobs.

"Second, implementing the Chained CPI is simply the wrong thing to do. It will hurt retirees, veterans, and those receiving disability or social security who depend on the existing Consumer Price Index to keep up with the rising cost of healthcare. Under the Chained CPI, these Americans will find it more and more difficult to afford the medical care they need just to survive.

"I am very concerned about the effect of the Chained CPI proposal on veterans in South Carolina and across the country. Our veterans and their families are the last people we should be turning our backs on. Lawmakers like to talk about how indebted we are to our veterans for sacrificing everything to protect our liberty and freedom. Now, we need to prove we mean it by opposing the Chained CPI."

Jay would certainly make a better senator than Lindsey Graham-- or any of the right-wing clowns lining up to primary him, all of whom want to wreck Social Security and tear up the social safety net. If you'd like to contribute to Jay's campaign, you can do so here, through Act Blue.