Possible 2016 presidential nominee Lindsey Graham sought to reiterate his conservative bona fides to Republican voters Sunday.
“I won in South Carolina. It’s a pretty red state,” the senator from South Carolina said on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” just a few days after announcing he was looking at a White House bid.
Host Norah O’Donnell pointed out that Graham has supported immigration reform, believes in climate change and has voted to approve both of President Obama’s Supreme Court nominees. The three stances would likely turn off some Republican voters.
Graham countered that he wants to secure America’s southern border with Mexico.
He also said he would nominate fellow South Carolina Republican Trey Gowdy to the Supreme Court.
“And I would expect Democrats to vote for him because he’s a qualified person,” Graham said. “I thought [Justices Sonia] Sotomayor and [Elena] Kagan, while I would not have chosen them, were very qualified candidates to be picked by a Democratic president.”
“I’m very comfortable that I’m in the mainstream of conservatism,” the senator continued. “I have done very well in a red state. And when it comes to national security and understanding the threats our nation faces, I believe I’m the best qualified of anybody on our side of the aisle to offer an alternative to a failed foreign policy of Barack Obama.”
