Lindsey Graham ends presidential campaign

GOP+presidential+candidates%2C+Sen.+Rick+Santorum%2C+left%2C+and+U.S.+Sen.+Lindsey+Graham+take+the+stage+during+the+CNN+Republican+presidential+debate+at+the+Venetian+in+Las+Vegas+on+Tuesday%2C+Dec.+15%2C+2015.+

Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Zuma Press/TNS with permission

GOP presidential candidates, Sen. Rick Santorum, left, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham take the stage during the CNN Republican presidential debate at the Venetian in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015.

Alex Cole, Staff writer

On Monday, Dec. 21,  republican senator Lindsey Graham dropped out from the presidential race, ending his campaign. Graham has been sitting at the bottom of the polls in single digits for a long time, but it was not until after yet another underwhelming performance in the undercard debate for him to pull the trigger on any oval office hopes.

The official resignation was announced in an email and a Youtube video, where Graham thanked his supporters and ensured that his commitment to bettering America will remain fierce.

“I’m going to suspend my campaign,” Graham said in a Youtube video he posted early Monday. “I’m not going to suspend my desire to help the country.”

This desire to help the country could be seen through Graham’s decision that he will not give up duties as senator for the state of South Carolina.

While his poll numbers did not reflect a successful campaign, his views on foreign policy, especially the fight against terrorism, were adopted by other GOP hopefuls.

“I think the nominee of our party is going to adopt my plan when it comes time to articulate how to destroy ISIL,” Graham said.

Graham’s plan is to put boots on the ground in the Islamic State.

While it was very unlikely that Graham was going to be the republican nominee, the votes of his supporters have to go somewhere. Another candidate may see a slight boost.

In an extraordinary large republican field, a field that now consists of twelve candidates, Graham could be the first of many dominoes to fall. The field is going to have to be narrowed down to one by July 2016, so candidates without successful primaries in Iowa (Feb. 1) and New Hampshire (Feb. 9) may choose to shut down their campaigns as Graham did.

Other GOP candidates voiced their warm words to Graham after he stepped down from the race, including former Florida governor Jeb Bush, Ohio governor John Kasich,  New Jersey governor Chris Christie and Dr. Ben Carson.

“Enjoyed Senator Graham’s wit & respect his seriousness on national security — experience matters,” Kasich said in a tweet.

Governor Christie described Graham as a person who he has “great respect and admiration for.”

So as the republican race continues, Lindsey Graham will not be a part of it.