It had been speculated that Graham could be a potential presidential candidate since at least October 2014, when he had stated that he would explore running for president in the 2016 election if he were re-elected as a Senator in the 2014 election, and began appearing at events and discussing a potential Presidential bid. Graham was previously considered as a possible Vice President for Republican presidential nominee John McCain in the 2008 presidential election, however former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was later chosen for the job. In March 2015, at a Republican forum in New Hampshire, Graham advocated reversal of recent cuts in defense spending, and quipped: "If I were President of the United States, I wouldn't let Congress leave town until we fix this. I would literally use the military to keep them in if I had to." In April 2015, Graham told Chris Wallace, on the Fox News Sunday show, that he was "91% sure" he would run for president. "If I can raise the money, I'll do it," he said. On May 18, 2015, Graham informally announced that he would run for president on CBS This Morning, saying he was running because he thinks "the world is falling apart." Graham made the official announcement of his candidacy for President on June 1, 2015, in his home town of Central, South Carolina. On July 20, 2015, Graham called Donald Trump a "jackass" during an interview on CNN because he was offended that Trump had criticized John McCain. The next morning he called Trump a "jackass" again in an appearance on CBS This Morning. In response, Trump ridiculed Graham for asking him for help to get on Fox & Friends and gave out Graham's mobile phone number. Graham responded by releasing a video in which he destroyed his phone. Graham failed to qualify for the CNN debate on August 6, 2015, but participated in the secondary debate. Similarly, he participated in the secondary debates on CNN and CNBC. In October, Graham was still only polling around 1% and his candidacy was viewed as a long shot. In early November the super PAC Security is Strength purchased a $1 million ad buy in New Hampshire for early which touted Graham's hawkish foreign policy stances and military service. On December 21, 2015, Graham suspended his campaign and, on January 15, 2016, endorsed former Florida GovernorJeb Bush. However, once Bush and FloridaSenator Marco Rubiodropped out, Graham endorsed TexasSenator Ted Cruz on March 17. Graham's endorsement of Cruz was unenthusiastic, comparing the choice between Cruz and Trump "like being shot or poisoned." After Cruz announced he was suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on May 3, 2016, Graham said: "If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed... and we will deserve it." On May 6, 2016, Graham announced he would not vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, commenting: "I think Donald Trump is going to places where very few people have gone and I'm not going with him." He ended up choosing to write-in third party candidate Evan McMullin.
