9 things to know about Lindsey Graham

Introduction

Update, Dec. 21, 2015: Lindsey Graham has decided to end his 2016 presidential campaign.

A foreign policy hawk and staunch defender of Israel, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will today declare himself a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.

In Congress, Graham has been involved with numerous high-profile legislative battles, including national security issues, immigration reform, energy policy and campaign finance regulation.

Here’s more about the political and financial history of this three-term senator who’d like to become the next president.

• American Israel Public Affairs Committee board members helped bankroll a pro-Lindsey Graham super PAC in 2014. Graham has called Israel the “best friend” of the United States.

• Lindsey Graham was among the attendees of an off-the-record retreat at a Georgia luxury resort earlier this year.

• Lindsey Graham’s campaign was responsible for about 40 percent of the 13,300 TV ads that aired during his 2014 re-election bid.

• About $1 of every $5 Lindsey Graham raised ahead of his 2014 re-election came from PACs, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

• Who was Lindsey Graham’s top contributor in his last campaign? Employees of SCANA, owner of South Carolina’s largest utility.

• In 2011 and 2012, Lindsey Graham collected a larger portion of campaign funds from lobbyist-bundlers than any other lawmaker.

• Lindsey Graham’s PAC made a dozen contributions to anti-abortion groups and pregnancy centers in 2013 and 2014.

• The National Right to Life Committee ranks Graham as voting with them on 89 out of 95 key votes. Where they differed most? Campaign finance reform, which Graham supported.

• Earlier this year, Lindsey Graham warned that too much money would “destroy American politics.”

Sources: Center for Public Integrity reporting, as well as Bloomberg, Center for Responsive Politics, Federal Election Commission, Kantar Media/CMAG, Mother Jones, National Right to Life Committee and YouTube

Image sources: Jim Cole/AP, defense.gov/Wikicommons, John Orell/ Flickr