South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham
on Monday suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential
nomination.
Monday is the deadline for presidential
candidates to remove their names from the South Carolina primary
ballot.
“I was hoping not to have to make
this call, but I think the time has come for me to suspend my
campaign” Graham is quoted as saying by Politico
during a conference call with supporters.
By leaving the race, Graham, who has
been polling in the single digits, avoids a potentially poor
performance in his home state.
“We've come to a point now where I
just don't see how we grow the campaign without getting on the main
stage,” he said. “This second-tier debate process has been
difficult for us. I think we've done well in the debates, it's just
hard to break through because the buzz doesn't last very long.”
Unlike some of his GOP rivals such as
Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio and Dr. Ben Carson who have pledged
as president to undermine the Supreme Court's June ruling striking
down state laws and constitutional amendments that prohibited gay and
lesbian couples from marrying, Graham said that while he remains
opposed to such unions he accepts the decision.
Thirteen Republican candidates remain.
Appearing on CNN, Graham declined to make an endorsement.