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Graham struggled
to gain traction in a crowded Republican field dominated by
front-runner Donald Trump, and he faced the potentially
embarrassing prospect of being trounced in the Feb. 20 primary
in his home state of South Carolina.
Graham, an early and staunch advocate of using U.S. ground
troops against Islamic State, said his long-shot campaign had
made headway in influencing the party's debate on the conflict.
"I got into this race to put forward a plan to win a war that we
cannot afford to lose, and to turn back the tide of isolationism
that was rising in our party. I believe we've made enormous
progress in this effort," he said in a video posted on YouTube.
He noted many of his Republican rivals for the November 2016
election now support placing more ground troops in Syria, and
promised to continue his hawkish criticism of President Barack
Obama's strategy in Syria.
"I'm far more confident today that our party will reject the
Obama doctrine of leading from behind and will provide the
strong leadership America needs to restore our military and take
the fight to our enemies," he said in the video.
Graham, a third-term senator from South Carolina, had repeatedly
been relegated to the early "undercard" debate of low-polling
Republican candidates. He registered below 1 percent in most
national polls and in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll of the
Republican field.
His withdrawal, on the day of the deadline for removing his name
from the primary ballot in South Carolina, will have little
impact on the national Republican race, which still has 13
candidates.
But he could have some influence in the vital South Carolina
contest if he makes an endorsement. He did not immediately back
any other candidates, although his Republican presidential
rivals raced to praise him.
"Nobody is more clear-eyed about ISIS than my friend," former
Florida Governor Jeb Bush said on Twitter, using a common term
for describing Islamic State.
"Republicans lost our most qualified, thoughtful, fearless and
honest presidential candidate," said Graham's close friend and
colleague in the Senate, John McCain of Arizona. "Lindsey stood
up to and helped stem the rise within our party of isolationism
and obliviousness in world affairs, and indifference to human
suffering."
(Additional reporting by Mohammad Zargham, Susan Heavey and
Doina Chiacu; Editing by Alistair Bell)
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