Trump shoutout to Lindsey Graham is drowned out by boos at South Carolina rally

Donald Trump was met with boos during a campaign visit South Carolina when he mentioned the name of the state senator Lindsey Graham.

The former president was campaigning in Summerville, South Carolina, when he was forced to suppress a sea of ​​ridicule after mentioning his “friend” Mr. Graham.

“Another guy who’s always there, he’s always – I’ll tell you what, when I need help on the left, he’s great, he’s great. And he’s also my friend – Lindsey Graham,” Trump said.

Boos immediately poured in from the crowd.

“Oh no, no,” Trump said, literally waving his hand at the crowd’s reaction.

But the boos didn’t stop.

“He helps me on the left side. We need help sometimes. Republicans shouldn’t need help on the left, but he’s helping me,” Trump continued despite the taunts.

Mr Trump has made a bizarre habit of calling the staunch Republican senator a “progressive” – ​​it was Mr Graham who first tried to pass a nationwide abortion ban after the overturning of Roe V. Wade – and insists that he Democrats are significantly involved in this. Democrats sit at the table when voting.

It is unclear whether there is a specific reason or combination of reasons why Mr. Graham’s voters appear to have turned against him.

The prevailing theory is that he did not support the former president.

Mr. Graham took on Donald Trump in 2016, initially running against him in the Republican primary and later saying he would not support the real estate mogul as a candidate. The senator was featured in a campaign ad for Joe Biden in 2020, who said the current president was “as good a man as God ever made.”

That’s not exactly a popular viewpoint among MAGA supporters.

Mr. Graham also backpedaled on Mr. Trump after the Capitol riot, saying his time with Mr. Trump had been a “journey” and he hated that it “has to end like this,” but said “enough is enough.” Defiance Despite his objection to the insurrection, he still refused to vote to remove Mr. Trump from office at his second impeachment trial.

He also acknowledged that Mr. Trump may have “done something wrong” in connection with the Mar-a-Lago confidential documents scandal, but ultimately defended the former president, calling it a double standard for Hillary Clinton on her emails was not treated with the same control.

This is not the first time Mr Graham has been booed in his home state. The Republican senator took a beating throughout the summer, particularly when he appeared at Trump events. Earlier this summer he was called a “traitor” by a crowd in South Carolina and had to leave the stage just six minutes into an event to quell boos, they say The hill.

His reaction to his critics?

“Thank you,” he said to the booing crowd. “Thank you.”