--- description: Graham says Bush is "ready on day one to be commander-in-chief". title: Lindsey Graham Endorses Jeb Bush for President image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb5e1ed0cd2de03c9/69887950cd1bba24096fef84/lindsey-graham-endorses-jeb-bush-2016.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [2016 Election](/tag/2016-election/) ## 2016 Election Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Lindsey Graham Endorses Jeb Bush for President by [Carrie Dann and Hallie Jackson / NBC News](/author/nbc-news/) ## Carrie Dann and Hallie Jackson / NBC News Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 15, 2016 3:57 PM CUT  Republican presidential candidate Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) during the CNN presidential debate at The Venetian Las Vegas on December 15, 2015 . Republican presidential candidate Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) during the CNN presidential debate at The Venetian Las Vegas on December 15, 2015 .Justin Sullivan–Getty Images by [Carrie Dann and Hallie Jackson / NBC News](/author/nbc-news/) ## Carrie Dann and Hallie Jackson / NBC News Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 15, 2016 3:57 PM CUT South Carolina senator and onetime GOP presidential candidate Lindsey Graham endorsed Jeb Bush Friday, backing the former Florida governor despite flagging poll numbers nationwide and in key primary states. At a news conference in South Carolina Friday, Graham, who focused his short-lived presidential bid on national security, said he liked what he heard from Bush at the debate the previous night. **Read More:** [_Bush Finds His Groove in Trump’s Shadow_](http://time.com/4183663/jeb-bush-donald-trump-new-hampshire/ "undefined") “Last night I heard from Jeb Bush the right answer,” Graham said with Bush at his side. “He demonstrated somebody in my view who is ready on day one to be commander-in-chief.” In his endorsement, Graham also took a… [_Read the rest of the story from our partners at NBC News_](http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/lindsey-graham-endorse-jeb-bush-n497231?cid=par-time-article%5F20141002 "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4182481/lindsey-graham-endorses-jeb-bush/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4182481/lindsey-graham-endorses-jeb-bush/"},"headline":"Lindsey Graham Endorses Jeb Bush for President","datePublished":"2016-01-15T15:57:14.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T14:10:32.488Z","description":"Graham says Bush is \"ready on day one to be commander-in-chief\"","url":"https://time.com/4182481/lindsey-graham-endorses-jeb-bush/","keywords":["2016 Election","2016 Election topic","jeb bush","Lindsey Graham"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb5e1ed0cd2de03c9/69887950cd1bba24096fef84/lindsey-graham-endorses-jeb-bush-2016.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Carrie Dann and Hallie Jackson / NBC News"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb5e1ed0cd2de03c9/69887950cd1bba24096fef84/lindsey-graham-endorses-jeb-bush-2016.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"lindsey-graham-endorses-jeb-bush-2016","caption":"Republican presidential candidate Sen. 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