Graham, who endorsed Cruz, thinks Kasich would be better president

But would Cruz make a good president? Graham, who once joked about the murder of his Senate colleague, said Cruz “would make a better president than Donald Trump, for damn sure, and I think he’d take the country in a new direction other than [Hillary] Clinton.

“Would he make the best president? No, I don’t think so. Of all the people running. John Kasich wins by 11 points against Hillary, so he’s absolutely out. Nobody wants a loser like that,” the South Carolina senator said jokingly. As far as whether Kasich would make a better president than Cruz, Graham replied, “Think so. So what’s your point?”

Graham was also asked about Cruz’s comments on stricter policing of Muslim communities in the United States. The former presidential candidate said he was unsure what Cruz meant.

“If it means that we’re going to put surveillance on every Muslim in the country, it’s a bad idea,” he said. “I think he’s probably trying to chase Trump a little bit” with his response to the Brussels attacks, adding that Cruz would have to speak for himself on that matter.

Show co-host Mika Brzezinski then questioned Graham on why he is supporting and fundraising for someone he does not believe would be the best presidential candidate for the GOP.

“I think he’s a Republican, I think he’s conservative. I think Donald Trump is a con-man, I think he would destroy the Republican Party,” Graham explained, adding, “I have differences with Ted Cruz that are well-known, but I think we share the same political DNA, and at the end of the day, I think he is a reliable Republican conservative and Mr. Trump is not.”

As far as whom he would vote for should it be Clinton versus Trump in the general election, Graham deflected.

“I’m not voting for Clinton,” he said. “Ask me after the convention who I’ll vote for.”