 Graham says campaign donors have too much power |
| The likely Republican presidential contenders had a lot to say at their conference in New Hampshire over the weekend, but the most surprising comments might have been on campaign finance. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), among others, thinks that money in politics is a problem. "We've got to figure out a way to fix this mess, because basically 50 people are running the whole show," Graham told Reuters. Graham is one of several prospective GOP candidates to advocate for campaign finance reform, as Matea Gold reports in The Washington Post. Campaign finance is also one of the first issues that Hillary Rodham Clinton has taken a position on. It's interesting, and maybe encouraging, to see agreement between a prominent Republican lawmaker and on one of the main planks of the presumptive Democratic nominee's platform. |
| Yet Graham's comment makes sense politically. Graham hasn't declared himself a candidate, but if he does, he'll have to find a way to distinguish himself from his competitors. Complaining about the influence of a few dozen major donors is a compelling way to show that he's on the side of ordinary Republican voters. Polling suggests a majority of Republican voters are concerned about money in politics. And some elements of the rank and file might already worry that their preferred candidates will be unable to compete with the money raised by a figure like Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) recently felt compelled to reassure voters that his campaign would be able to raise money successfully as well. |
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