SC re-elects US Sen. Lindsey Graham

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham overcame Republican misgivings about his role in failed immigration legislation as the economy eclipsed all other issues, easily propelling the son of restaurant owners to a second term against a little-known and underfunded Democratic challenger.

The Associated Press called the race for Graham shortly after polls closed at 7 p.m. The call was based on an analysis of voter interviews, conducted for The Associated Press by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International.

With 64 percent of precincts reporting, Graham had 59 percent of the vote to Democrat Bob Conley's 41 percent.

"Number one, I'm grateful - appreciative - to have a second term," Graham said in a telephone interview. He said he'll continue reaching out to Democrats and mainstream conservatives as he returns to Washington. "I'll just keep on being me."

Graham said he knows he'll return to a Senate expected to swing further to Democratic control.

"If they try to increase the size of government and taxes in a way that will hurt the economy I will be a very formidable opponent," Graham said. "I'll reach out to my Democratic colleagues to see if we can find solutions to problems like Social Security, Medicare - the entitlements - that both parties have to work together to reach a solution. There will be some issues that no one party can solve by itself."

Last year, Graham's explanation of his support for immigration law overhauls drew boos from Republicans and brought out a primary challenger. Graham survived, putting together enough Republican and independent voters who were willing to move beyond that.

But three of five voters said the economy was the top issue for them and they heavily favored Graham, according to the voter surveys.

"I voted for Graham because he's a Republican, even though I've been a little disappointed with him," said Bobby Cannon, a 53-year-old heating and air conditioning salesman from Columbia.

Graham, a 53-year-old Seneca native is a U.S. Air Force Reserve colonel and the only member of the Senate serving in the Guard or Reserve. He was so confident of the night's win that he did two atypical things: He left the state after casting an absentee ballot so he could be in Arizona at GOP presidential nominee John McCain's side, and he spent heavily on mailings and radio ads targeting Democrats for support.

Those actions irked Conley's campaign and the challenger said Tuesday night was not ready to concede.

"We're waiting for the vote to come in," Conley said. "I have not had time to sit down and take a look at where these votes are coming from."

Conley, a 43-year-old North Myrtle Beach engineer and flight instructor, got his start in politics with an unsuccessful bid as a Republican for an Indiana state legislative seat. He then bolted for the Reform Party. Earlier this year, he was with the GOP as a Horry County executive committee member supporting Ron Paul for president. Later, he became a Democrat and won a primary to face Graham in the general election.

A Graham mailing cited those convoluted political roots and Conley's dream ticket - Pat Buchanan and Paul - and questioned his leanings. "And he calls himself a Democrat? Hardly." In a radio ad, Graham's campaign noted that U.S. House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, the state's most influential Democrat, had said in a radio interview he wouldn't be voting for Conley. The call encouraged straight-ticket Democrats to pick Graham.

A fifth of voters describing themselves as Democrats said they supported Graham, according to the exit poll. And he won votes from three of five independents.

Conley may have done best with straight-ticket voters, even those with misgivings like Don Sanders, a 53-year-old man whose disabilities had him voting curbside in Columbia. "He was just the nominee," Sanders said.

Marie Crawford said she voted for Conley in Columbia because she wasn't happy with Graham's support of McCain and President Bush. "I'm just ready to see more Democrats in office to see if we can get some of these messes cleaned up," said Crawford, a 57-year-old education consultant.

But voters lauded Graham's work on the war in Iraq, immigration and the economy and said he deserves another stint.

"I know he supports the troops. He also supports John McCain. He's just a good conservative," said Renee Lindquist, a 41-year-old homemaker who voted in an upscale neighborhood in suburban Columbia.

Heading into Election Day, Conley's campaign said it had $23,628 for his bid. Graham's Federal Election Commission report showed he had spent $3.6 million and still had $3.5 million on hand.