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Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamCampaigns pivot toward health awareness as races sidelined by coronavirus UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus Schumer: Senate should 'explore' remote voting if coronavirus sparks lengthy break MORE (R-S.C.) is urging leading Republican presidential candidates behind Donald Trump
Donald John TrumpTrump orders US troops back to active duty for coronavirus response Trump asserts power to decide info inspector general for stimulus gives Congress Fighting a virus with the wrong tools MORE to unite in an effort to bring down the GOP front-runner.
Lindsey Olin GrahamCampaigns pivot toward health awareness as races sidelined by coronavirus UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus Schumer: Senate should 'explore' remote voting if coronavirus sparks lengthy break MORE (R-S.C.) is urging leading Republican presidential candidates behind Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump orders US troops back to active duty for coronavirus response Trump asserts power to decide info inspector general for stimulus gives Congress Fighting a virus with the wrong tools MORE to unite in an effort to bring down the GOP front-runner. "I think a Kasich-Rubio ticket would be great," Graham said late Sunday during an interview with Rita Cosby on WABC, describing Kasich as a "terrific" governor of Ohio and Rubio as a "very, very talented" senator from Florida.
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"Rubio-Kasich, Kasich-Rubio — I think those combinations, if they could consolidate and come together, would be [a] very potent ticket in the fall and maybe help us stop Trump," Graham said on the program before also floating a potential "Rubio-Kasich-Cruz alliance."
Graham, who ended his White House bid in December, had thrown his support behind Jeb Bush, who dropped out of the GOP race on Saturday after taking fourth behind Trump, Rubio and Cruz in the South Carolina primary.
Trump won all 50 delegates in that primary, with nearly a third of the vote. He's also led in polls released earlier this month of voters in Nevada, which holds its GOP caucuses Tuesday.
Graham suggested that a Trump presidency would "change the party for the worse."
"Donald Trump would get wiped out in November, but really make it hard for the party to succeed in the future," Graham said Sunday, arguing that Kasich and Rubio could help bring out voters in Ohio and Florida, which are swing states in the general election.
"I didn't make it, Jeb didn't make it, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But I can tell you this, that I think I understand the nation pretty well in terms of what problems we have as Republicans," Graham said, ripping Trump's rhetoric on Hispanics and his "race baiting and religious bigotry."
