Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) insisted on Sunday that he was supportive of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’s presidential campaign in the same breath that he mentioned the notion that Cruz was “Lucifer.”
Graham gave what seemed to be a reluctant endorsement of Cruz in March after failing his own bid for the White House. Graham said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that the primary in Indiana on Tuesday would be a big test for Cruz and mentioned former House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)’s assertion that Cruz was “Lucifer in the flesh.”
“And there’s been a lot of talk about Lucifer. I think Lucifer may be the only person Trump could beat in a general election,” Graham said. “But when it comes to women and Hispanics, Trump polls like Lucifer. So, this is a contest between conservatism and Trumpism.”
Graham said that Boehner was a friend. CBS host John Dickerson noted that his comment wasn’t “a great” thing to be said about a struggling candidate.
“Well, no,” Graham conceded before pivoting the conversation.
Graham once said that nominating either Trump or Cruz would mean “death” in the general election. He also called out Cruz for refusing to condemn Trump’s proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States and joked about his unpopular colleague being murdered on the Senate floor.
