Discussing the issue of Lindsey Graham and his bid for presidency has been on for a while now. It first started as a joke, and then it became a serious issue. With everyone waiting for June 1, when he is expected to make his formal declaration, the issue has shifted from whether or not he is indeed planning to run for office to how qualified he is to occupy the office of the President of the United States.
As with all matters regarding choice, there are those for and those against. To put it mildly, Senator Lindsey Graham is official now under the microscope. Running for the loftiest position in the United States is something that unleashes the investigator in many citizens. His past statements, views, voting patterns in the senate and even his personal life will and in fact has been put under scrutiny.
Several journalists and political analysts have gone all out to state – without mincing words or attempting to be nice – that the senator does not have what it takes to do the job. No one goes into politics expecting that everyone will say nice things about them. As a serving senator with two previous terms under his belt, the senator certainly knows to expect more direct attacks on his ideas, his person and everything he stands for.
Seeking the GOP ticket ahead of candidates like Jeb Bush who many tout as the most likely candidate, the senator has to bring his A game. Running for and winning the presidency requires a good amount of popularity and general acceptance. Some political analysts believe that the senator does not have the popularity to carry the day. They point to his standing rift with the Tea Party, saying that the tea partiers will actively work against his bid. The senator is no stranger to fights, and does not run from them. In the face of growing insinuations that he is not qualified, he has come out to say “If it’s not me, who’s it going to be?”
The senator is no doubt confident in his ability to lead the nation right. In fact, if his earlier question is anything to go by, he certainly believes he is the most qualified candidate for the job. A lot of people certainly do not agree with him but he remains undeterred.
Leaving political analysts and pundits aside, another question to ask is if his own party will be willing to throw its weight behind him. The senator has been known to disagree with his party on certain major party issues like immigration reform and climate change, among others. This earned him nicknames like “Flimsy Lindsey” and “Grahmnesty.”
It is now generally accepted that Senator Lindsey Graham will be seeking the GOP nomination for the 2016 presidential elections However, he noted that he will be making his formal declaration on June 1, 2015. Come this day, will Senator Lindsey Graham continue with his bid for presidency or will he throw in the towel given the amount of opposition he is likely to face? This question will be answered in a couple of days from now.