NEW YORK — Senator Lindsey Graham suspended his presidential campaign Monday, saying that he has concluded "this is not my time," despite his belief that he had been making a difference in the race.
The South Carolina Republican made the announcement in a YouTube video on the day that was the deadline for Graham to remove his name from the South Carolina ballot for his home state's primary. He has been stuck at about 1 percent in GOP preference polls.
"Since launching my campaign for president on June 1, I have offered a path to saving the American dream and working together on bold solutions to solve big problems," said Graham, one of the most hawkish foreign policy voices in the race.
"This has been a problem solvers' campaign. I have tried to be honest with the American people, look for realistic ways to get things done, and inject a little humor along the way," said Graham, 60. "Most importantly, the centerpiece of my campaign has been securing our nation. I have offered a detailed plan to win a war we cannot afford to lose and to turn back the tide of isolationism that has been rising in the Republican Party."
"I believe we have made enormous progress in this effort,'' Graham added. "Four months ago at the very first debate, I said that any candidate who did not understand that we need more troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria to defeat ISIL was not ready to be commander in chief. At the time, no one stepped forward to join me. Today, most of my fellow candidates have come to recognize this is what's needed to secure our homeland."
Graham's hawkishness on foreign policy and expertise on national security seemed well suited to the current political climate, but his bid was challenged from the beginning by his moderate positions on issues such as immigration and the economy.
He started his campaign with a festive rally in his hometown and often regaled voters with stories of growing up above a pool hall and helping to raise his sister. However, he failed to gain traction even in his own state amid the party's fascination with Donald Trump and a younger generation of Republican senators.
Despite being left off the main stage in all of the Republican debates, Graham maintained his penchant for mixing lighthearted wisecracks with doom and gloom pronouncements about the growing threat of terrorism.
He could frequently be found campaigning in New Hampshire with Senator John McCain, his close friend and political ally, in hopes of making a surprisingly strong showing in New Hampshire.
Graham, a former military lawyer with decades of experience in government, often seemed dumbfounded by the circuslike atmosphere of the 2016 race. Left out of the so-called undercard debate with lower-polling candidates in November, he spent that night online offering commentary about his rivals.
In October, he offered this assessment of the crowded Republican field, talking first about Ben Carson, then about Trump: "On our side, you've got the No. 2 guy tried to kill someone at 14. And the No. 1 guy is high energy and crazy as hell. How am I losing to these people?"
In a statement, McCain, the Republican presidential nominee in 2008 who had campaigned on his behalf, blamed the two-tiered debate structure that was created to accommodate such a large field for his friend's troubles.
"It is a pity that a bifurcated debate structure kept his voice and views from the wider public that needed to hear them," McCain said. "Even so, as the candidate with the most national security experience, and, in my opinion, the most practical and honorable views of American world leadership, Lindsey stood up to and helped stem the rise within our party of isolationism and obliviousness in world affairs, and indifference to human suffering."
Democrats painted Graham's exit as a sign the Republican Party has lost its way, breaking promises to be inclusive in favor of policies of discrimination.
"In its 2012 election autopsy, the Republican Party made a big deal about supporting immigration reform and reaching out to Hispanic voters," said Eric Walker, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. "Three years later, the one presidential candidate who has consistently favored comprehensive immigration reform just dropped out of the race after attracting virtually no support."
Only a handful of Republican candidates who reflect Graham's broader foreign policy views remain in the race: former governor Jeb Bush of Florida, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, and Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey.
Rubio, speaking with reporters Monday in Rochester, N.H., said Graham is "a good guy . . . a very funny guy . . . we'll miss his humor."
Rubio credited Graham with focusing on national security, although he acknowledged they had disagreements.
Christie called Graham "a good friend," praising his views on national security, and said he would welcome the senator's support. "He needs some time to figure out what he wants to do in this race," Christie said in an interview in Nashua, N.H., "and I'll be respectful of that.''
Graham's endorsement is now available for the remaining Republican candidates. In addition, McCain no longer has a candidate in the race, and his backing could be valuable to either Rubio or Christie as they battle for New Hampshire.