FLORENCE, S.C.(WBTW)-The 2016 presidential election is more than a year away but conversations have already started as for who will run. But U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham is doing more than talking about it, he’s going to Iowa next week to do what he calls “retail politicking.” Senator Lindsey Graham was in Florence Saturday morning hosting a “thank you” event. It’s something he says politicians don’t do enough of and while he talked about foreign affairs and the state of our country, he also thanked people right here in the Pee Dee for their support.
“It is a place trying to do better and that is why I like coming here so much because I want to help the people in the Pee Dee do better.”
Graham was talking about his third term and what he wanted to do for the state of South Carolina. He said Florence is one of his focal points.
“Be part of the community, as it tries to grow and create jobs, your technical colleges are some of the best in the country.”
But Graham didn’t devote all of his attention to Florence.
“Our nation’s national security is crumbling. President Obama’s foreign policy is failing radical Islam is running wild. The Russians are dismembering the Ukraine’s as I speak and the Iranians are marching towards a nuclear weapon.”
Graham said if he did run, his platform would be heavily dependent upon national security.
“Some of our soldiers will have to be there to help the other soldiers do the fighting.”
Senator Graham has been on the armed services committee for years and says he’s tried to use his background to help our president.
“He’s become stubborn and quite frankly, arrogant. His decision not to leave any troops behind in Iraq behind sound military advice allowed Al Qaeda and Iraq the predecessor to ISIL to come back.”
He said the state of our nation is scary and the next president will have a huge responsibility to bring this nation back to what it should be.
“The next president is going to have to show some ability to bring this place together and get both places working together for the common good. Without that our best days are behind us but I’m convinced our best days lie ahead.”
Other topics Senator Graham discussed were fixing the “minimally adequate” educational problems in South Carolina as well as roads and infrastructure and job creation. The Senator will meet with other local activists and Iowa republican leaders next Thursday and Friday. He says he will have enough information by May to know if he will be a contender in the 2016 presidential election.