http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/261934-graham-turns-on-cruz-gops-attitudes-toward-hispanicsDecember 03, 2015, 10:31 am
Graham turns on Cruz, GOP's attitudes toward Hispanics, abortion
By Jonathan Swan
Lindsey Graham challenged GOP presidential rival Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and the views of Republicans in a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition on Thursday.
The speech took many in the audience by surprise, coming immediately after Cruz was warmly applauded by the audience of Jewish activists and donors.
"How many of you believe we lose elections because we're not hard-ass enough on immigration?" Graham asked.
A few people clapped.
"I believe we’re losing the Hispanic vote because they think we don’t like them.
"I believe that it’s not about turning out evangelical Christians" — as Cruz had suggested — "but about repairing the damage done by incredibly hateful rhetoric driving a wall between us and the fastest growing demographic in America who should be Republicans."
More in the crowd began cheering for Graham.
"How are you going to bring us together if your whole career has been about dividing us?" Graham said.
"I am tired of that crap," he said, adding that he never understood why anyone thought they could shut down the government to repeal Obamacare.
"I believe Donald Trump is destroying the Republican Party," Graham said, his voice rising with disgust.
"It's not self-deportation, it's forced deportation," Graham said.
"We're going to round them all up?
"You think you're going to win an election with that sort of garbage?"
A few murmured "no."
Graham then attacked Cruz's hardline stance on abortion, asking the crowd who agreed whether they believed there should be exceptions allowed for abortion if a woman had been raped.
Many cheered.
"Ted Cruz doesn't have an exception for rape and incest" and would therefore lose, Graham said.
With Cruz as the nominee the debate with the Democrats would be "about the nominee of the Republican Party" telling a women who has been raped that she has to keep the rapist's baby.
"Not the speech you thought you were going to hear? Not the speech I thought I was going to give."
"I'm the first guy to come to an RJC event and never mention Israel in 15 minutes," Graham, a longtime staunch supporter of Israel, said to applause.
"I don't have to. You know where I'm at."
