Hillary Clinton surfaces as issue in Republican Senate race
Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) - Each one of Lindsey Graham's five underfunded Republican primary opponents have been struggling to gain traction in the race and emerge as the South Carolina senator's leading conservative opponent.
Not one of them, though, has managed to break out of the pack.
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Now one candidate is hoping to use former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as a weapon.
Bill Connor, an attorney and Army veteran running to unseat Graham, is launching a new ad calling attention to Graham and Clinton's friendly relationship.
The 30-second spot uses footage from a 2012 speech in which Graham called Clinton "a role model" and one of the "greatest ambassadors for the American people that I've known in my lifetime."
The low-budget ad concludes with footage of Graham hugging Clinton. The Connor campaign says the ad will run statewide on Fox News channel for two weeks.
"Isn't 20 years of Lindsey Graham in Washington enough?" a narrator asks.
The size of the Connor ad buy is meager, according to one Republican tracking TV spending in the state, so it's unclear how many Republican voters will actually see the commercial.
Pastor joins crowded GOP race to unseat Lindsey Graham
But it's the first time one of Graham's opponents has tried to make hay out of his gracious attitude toward Clinton - and it's another signal that Clinton's standing among Republicans has diminished since she left the State Department a year ago and inched her way back into the political spotlight.
South Carolina's GOP primary is June 10. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, the race moves to a two-week runoff between the top two finishers.
Diminished, hardly, they hate her more than ever. Otherwise their suggesting they haven't always hated her.
Didn't Bill Connor, army veteran, take orders from the commander in chief, President Bill Clinton? Do we have anger issues here?
It's kinda fun watching the dogs try to eat their own... pass the popcorn pls..
HILARIOUS watching Guns Over People tea potty wingnuts eat each other as they walk the plank toward November.
So being bipartisan is now considered a bad thing and can cost you an election?
Any one that has brain will unseat this idiot, Lindsey Graham. He is totally brain dead guy. Talks nonsense. Yes, Hillary16.
It is interesting how right wingnuts think that using the "Sanford South Carolina" tactic of tying candidates to women like Clinton or Pelosi will get them the primary win. It did work for the wife cheater, but a lot of people realize now that they were duped.
What does it mean when compromise, reaching across the aisle, and getting things done are black marks on your record?
Bill Connor's website lists him to be 100% anti-choice from conception, 100% anti-gay, not is favor of separation of church and state. No wonder he is attempting to appeal to the fringe with irrational Clinton-fear.
The hatred that comes out of the mouths of right wing conservative republicans who also are evangelical Christians is so bad that I wonder how they can live with themselves and their families. Never in the last 50 years has so much hate against everyone who is not a conservative and a Christian been seen. One way to curb this and get rid of these people of the right wing is what happen in England and their war with Scotland. Longshanks said that he could not beat them so he would breed them out. That is what has to happen here. Breed out these right wing conservatives.
They keep finding these bodies all associated to one Hillary Clinton.
@Rudy NYC
What does it mean when compromise, reaching across the aisle, and getting things done are black marks on your record?
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Welcome to the dark radical right corner of the GOP. At least he is out with it. God forbid voters agree but you know where he stands. Dems are the enemy, no quarter, no compromise, no shaking hands. Extreme way or the highway.
Don't you just love the progressive carpetbagging liberals trying to influence the voters in South Carolina? I guess they want to mess up the rest of the country for some reason or liberal agenda.
I am simply waiting for the primary, to vote against Graham. He has failed the people of SC. I haven't made my choice yet, among the other candidates, but one will get my vote.
@Rudy NYC: "What does it mean when compromise, reaching across the aisle, and getting things done are black marks on your record?"
The real question is how the GOPers keep their heads from exploding – because aren't they always whining on about President Obama doesn't want to reach across the aisle and work with them?
Little Princess Lindsey is going to miss preening for the cameras every Sunday morning!
I agree with you @Rudy that it is a sad day when compromise is viewed as a negative. Unfortunately, that is where we are in this country. Some of these same posters were lambasting Lieberman for his willingness to work across the aisle when he was in office.
That lady on the left there is going to win the 2016 Presidential election hands down. She will run against whatever flavor of the week republicant manages to out fascist his 20 some odd primary opponents (some out on weekend passes from the State Hospital) all spouting gibberish about how the earth is flat, we didn't come from no monkees, and how Obama is a pinko, liberal, muslim, not born in this country, communist (forgetting they are not running against him).
I'm not sure who that lady on the right is.
Candidates who use Hate as a tactic & also call themselves Christians, ain't.
Funny that – just saw a poll yesterday that women, yes women Republican voters approve of Hillary. Suck rotten eggs Mr. O'Conner, I hope you hated Bill Clinton being your Commander didn't you? Well, G O O D!
Abbey
They keep finding these bodies all associated to one Hillary Clinton.
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Really? Do tell!
@Abbey
They keep finding these bodies all associated to one Hillary Clinton.
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That was the nice thing about W. Instead of imaginary bodies, his came home by the 1000's in nice body bags. and there was no conspiracy needed – he out and out lied.
Abbey
Don't you just love the progressive carpetbagging liberals trying to influence the voters in South Carolina?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If only they were as prolific as the kock brothers in their efforts! I mean honestly, what would a couple of rich guys want with a small potatoes City Council seat, and why did they pony up hundreds of thousands of dollars in an attemp to buy it (only to lose BTW – LOL)?
-Rick McDaniel
I am simply waiting for the primary, to vote against Graham. He has failed the people of SC. I haven't made my choice yet, among the other candidates, but one will get my vote.
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Do they also have a secession initiative on the ballot as well?
@Abbey: "Don't you just love the progressive carpetbagging liberals trying to influence the voters in South Carolina? I guess they want to mess up the rest of the country for some reason or liberal agenda."
Repubs are using Graham's respect for Clinton to smear him; how is that Liberals trying to influence the voters in South Carolina?
It's comments like yours that reinforces the fact that most GOPers are incapable of thought.