Lindsey Graham says Donald Trump supporters are 'destroying conservatism'

(Image credit: Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP/Getty Images)

published 2 May 2016

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) used his appearance on Sunday's Face the Nation to warn Republicans about the harm he says Donald Trump is causing the party.

"Let me just tell my friends, who I really do respect, if you are embracing Donald Trump, you're destroying conservatism," he said. "You will make it hard for this party to ever regain footing with Hispanics, because his immigration proposal is unworkable, is hateful. When it comes to women, we're alienating women, who should be coming our way after eight years of Obama." There is a "civil war going on in the Republican Party," Graham continued, adding that he believes the Republican frontrunner's foreign policy is "isolationism," which will "lead to another 9/11."

In March, Graham endorsed Ted Cruz, and he said Tuesday's primary in Indiana is a "big test" for the anyone-but-Trump movement. "I'm advising Ted, go to the last vote," Graham said. "Trump's gotten 40 percent of the popular vote. That doesn't give you 1,237 delegates. I think you could still stop, even if you lose in Indiana." Graham also said he is friends with former House Speaker John Boehner, who called Cruz "Lucifer in the flesh," and he believes the only person Trump might be able to beat in the general election is Satan himself. "When it comes to women and Hispanics," he added, "Trump polls like Lucifer."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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