South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham endorsed Mark Sanford today in his congressional race, making Graham the first member of the state’s delegation to endorse the former governor. Sanford faces Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch in next week’s special election.
While Sanford has received support from national Republicans, such as John Boehner and Rand Paul, South Carolina lawmakers have held back from publicly backing him. Governor Nikki Haley reportedly plans to attend a fundraiser today according to Columbia Patch, in what would be her first show of public support for Sanford.
In a statement on Twitter, Graham said Sanford “has a proven track record cutting spending and fighting government expansion, something we sorely need in Washington.” He also warned that the House is “the last line of defense against the Democratic agenda,” so conservative supporters cannot “afford to sit on the sidelines.”