![SHOCKING: Lindsey Graham Backs Ted Cruz For President [VIDEO].mp4](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Lindsey-Graham-Screen-Shot-CNN-3-17-2016-e1458237707179.jpg "SHOCKING: Lindsey Graham Backs Ted Cruz For President [VIDEO].mp4")
Sen. [crscore]Lindsey Graham[/crscore] has announced his support for Sen. [crscore]Ted Cruz[/crscore] and will leverage his fundraising network to raise money for Cruz’s campaign.
It was not that long ago that Graham joked at the Washington Press Club Congressional Dinner, “If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you.” (RELATED: Graham: Nothing Would Happen If You ‘Murdered’ Cruz On The Senate Floor [VIDEO])
Thursday, Graham said, “I’m going to be doing a fundraiser with and for Senator Cruz. I think he’s the best alternative to Donald Trump. He’s certainly not my preference, Senator Cruz is not, but he’s a reliable Republican conservative of which I’ve had many differences with. I doubt Donald Trump’s conservatism and I think he would be a disaster for the party and so I’m trying to help raise money for Senator Cruz and the Cruz committee.”
Graham has said the difference between choosing Donald Trump and Cruz was having to choose between “being shot or poisoned.”
Dana Bash followed up, “So you are raising money for are you endorsing him? Is it effectively an endorsement?”
“What I’m saying, John Kasich is I think is the most viable general election candidate,” Graham replied. “I just don’t see how John gets through the primary. This is an outsider year. He’s seen as an insider. So I think the best alternative to Donald Trump, to stop him from getting to 1,237 [delegates] is Ted Cruz. And I’m going to help Ted in every way I can. I’m going to raise hundred for him in the pro-Israel community. And if I were in one of the states coming up in terms of voting and I didn’t like trump, I would vote for Cruz.”
Graham later said, “I’ve had many differences with Senator Cruz’s tactics, and the way he’s behaved in the Senate but I believe he would be a more reliable partner for Israel. I think he would build the Keystone pipeline. Senator Clinton would not. I think he would repeal and replace Obamacare. I don’t think she would. I think he’s a reliable Republican conservative who would pick a true conservative to be on the Supreme Court.”
The South Carolina senator who dropped out of the presidential race and later endorsed Jeb Bush said, “I have doubts about Mr. Trump. I think Mr. Trump is not a Republican. I don’t think he’s a conservative. I think his campaign is built on xenophobia, race baiting and religious bigotry. I think he would be a disaster for our party and as Senator Cruz would not be my first choice, I think he is a Republican conservative who I can support.”
In a statement provided to The Daily Caller, Alice Stewart, Cruz’s communications director said, “We are thankful for the support of Sen. Graham and grateful he will be hosing a fundraiser to help us defeat Donald Trump.”