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NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Lindsey Graham says he doesn't have any doubt that Jeb Bush would be ready "to be commander-in-chief on day one."
The South Carolina senator today announced that he's backing the former Florida governor for the Republican presidential nomination. Graham ended his own campaign last month after failing to pick up much support -- but his endorsement is considered valuable ahead of the early South Carolina primary.
Bush was initially considered a serious contender for the Republican nomination for president, but his campaign eventually lagged behind candidates like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, who have each positioned themselves as anti-establishment alternatives.
Graham today noted that Bush was the lone candidate in last night's debate to explicitly reject Trump's continued call to indefinitely ban non-citizen Muslims from entering the United States.
Graham said Bush has "stayed true to who he is," and "hasn't tried to get ahead in a contested primary by embracing demagoguery."
%@AP Links
211-a-09-(Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at news conference)-"commander-in-chief"-Senator Lindsey Graham says he's backing former Florida Governor Jeb Bush for the Republican presidential nomination. ((note audio quality)) (15 Jan 2016)
<<CUT *211 (01/15/16)££ 00:09 "commander-in-chief"
215-a-11-(Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Republican presidential candidate, at news conference)-"to be heard"-Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush says he's been able to turn to Lindsey Graham for advice, even when the South Carolina senator was challenging him for the Republican presidential nomination. (15 Jan 2016)
<<CUT *215 (01/15/16)££ 00:11 "to be heard"
213-a-06-(Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., at news conference)-"bring us together"-Senator Lindsey Graham says Jeb Bush is the candidate most capable of dealing with divisive issues such as immigration. (15 Jan 2016)
<<CUT *213 (01/15/16)££ 00:06 "bring us together"
APPHOTO WX202: FILE - In this Dec. 3, 2015 file photo, then-Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. speaks in Washington. With two weeks to go until Iowans head to the polls in the first vote of the 2016 primary season, Jeb Bush scored a key endorsement for his White House bid, from Graham. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) (3 Dec 2015)
<<APPHOTO WX202 (12/03/15)££
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