Sen. Lindsey Graham Keeping High Profile During Election Stretch Run

With the 2012 election season heading into its final weeks, South Carolina’s senior United States Senior is spending much of his time on the road. Even though he’s not up for re-election until 2014, Lindsey Graham is still doing plenty of campaigning.

Last week, Graham—along with longtime friend Ariz. Sen. John McCain—campaigned in the Midwest for a couple of candidates, one of whom is a relative unknown, while the other is a veteran of the national scene.

Graham stumped in Indiana for upstart senate candidate Richard Mourdock, who knocked off six-term incumbent Richard Lugar in the primary. Mourdock has received significant financial backing from South Carolina’s other senator, Jim DeMint via DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund. Mourdock is thought to be ahead, but his race against Joe Donnelly appears to very tight (Indiana has restrictions on polling so, it’s difficult to gauge). Lugar has not campaigned on Mourdock’s behalf, which has hurt him among more moderate Republicans in the state.

Graham also went to Wisconsin to appear on behalf of Tommy Thompson who probably needs the help more than Mourdock. Thompson is in a tight race with Tammy Baldwin for the senate seat vacated by Herb Kohl’s retirement. As governor for fourteen years, and Health and Human Services Secretary in the second Bush Administration, Thompson is something of a legend in Wisconsin politics. But, after an ill-fated run for President in 2008, Thompson had largely faded from public view.

Thanks to his high name recognition Thompson led Baldwin for much of the summer and into the early fall. But in recent weeks, thanks to strong performances in debates, Baldwin has surged past Thompson, though the race is still considered a toss-up by Real Clear Politics.

On Sunday, Graham appeared on Fox News to preview Monday’s presidential debate on foreign policy. Graham continued his criticism of the Obama Administration’s handling of the terrorist attacks in Libya and of its handling of Iran’s attempt to build a nuclear weapon. Of the latter issue, Graham said, “The time for talk is over.”

Graham has also helped raise money for embattled Missouri senate candidate Todd Akin and campaigned for Mitt Romney in the swing state of North Carolina.