Graham: Cruz will get ‘creamed’ by Dems

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is downplaying Ted Cruz’s victory in the Iowa caucuses, telling GOP voters he’ll get “creamed” in the general election for his stance on immigration.

{mosads}“The problem we have as Republicans is that we’re losing the largest and fastest growing demographic, Hispanics, and when you ask them after 2012 why they don’t like the Republican Party, it’s the immigration issue and the way we handled it,” Graham said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Tuesday.

“Ted was for legalization, no matter what he tells you, and now he says he wasn’t,” he added. “He’s going further right on immigration. I think his position on immigration is totally out-of-sync with where the party needs to be, and he will get creamed.”

Graham also said Cruz would alienate voters over abortion in the general election.

“He doesn’t have an exception for rape and incest,” he said. “In Ted Cruz’s world, she is going to have to carry the baby of a rapist. I’m pro-life, but I won’t go there. I think that’s a hard sell with women.”

The South Carolina senator also took a shot at Donald Trump, who was leading in many polls before the caucuses but finished second.

“The only person who would do worse than Ted is Trump,” said Graham. “If you vote for Trump as a Republican, you’re buying a ticket on the Titanic after you saw the movie. Don’t do that.”

Graham endorsed Jeb Bush last month after ending his own presidential bid.

Cruz won the Iowa caucuses with 27.7 percent to Trump’s 24.3 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics caucus results. Marco Rubio came in third, with 23.1 percent.