Beyond Schmidt, Davis, Salter, etc, which rising star staked absolutely everything he had on John McCain? Senator Lindsey Graham, whose partnership with the Arizonan was so intense it superceded his identity as a South Carolina legislator and approached the level of Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid-esque bromance. Graham let his other party connections lapse in favor of his brotherhood with McCain, and a Mac loss leaves him out in the cold. Reporting on some of the GOP regrouping sessions that are already scheduled for after the election, Marc Ambinder notes:
And then, a week later, South Carolina Republican Party chairman Katon Dawson holds a semi-secret conclave of Republican National Committee members, donors and activists in Myrtle Beach, SC. Dawson wants to be the next chairman of the party. NB: Sen. Lindsey Graham is not invited.
Sad.
What could Graham's next act be? Well, Graham always had a thing for Hillary Clinton, weirdly enough. Maybe he'll get really mavericky and team up with her on healthcare?
--Eve Fairbanks