Palmetto State News

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Republicans have no chance of winning the majority of the Senate without Donald Trump. 

Speaking on Fox News' "Hannity," Graham said that the former president's influence would be crucial if they are to win.

“Trump is the most consequential Republican in the party. I know Trump can be a handful, but he is the most dominant figure in the Republican Party,” Graham said, The Epoch Times reported. “We don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of taking back the majority without Donald Trump."

He also commented on the dispute between Trump and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

“I’m more worried about 2022 than I’ve ever been. I don’t want to eat our own,” he said, urging McConnell to tone things down, The Epoch Times reported. “We need to knock this off. Kevin McCarthy is the leader of the House Republicans. He has taken a different approach to President Trump. I would advise Sen. McConnell to do that.”

McConnell called Trump "morally irresponsible," what he did a "disgraceful dereliction of duty" and blamed him for inciting violence on Jan. 6 at the Capitol. This came hours after McConnell had voted to acquit the former president.

"Trump hit back with a strongly worded statement on Feb. 16, calling McConnell “a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack” who was “destroying the Republican side of the Senate” and who “will never do what needs to be done, or what is right for our Country.” According to The Epoch Times. 

McConnell has since been asked to resign by the Nelson County GOP. Other Republican senators who voted to convict Trump were censured by their respective states. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) will face a Republican challenger come 2022.

Former Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller suggested in January that Trump will need to be active in politics again to ensure a majority win in 2022. Seventy-five percent of Republicans also want Trump to play a leading role in the party's politics, according to a poll by Quinnipiac University. Trump hinted at a political comeback, The Epoch Times reported. "Our historic, patriotic, and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun. In the months ahead I have much to share with you, and I look forward to continuing our incredible journey together to achieve American greatness for all of our people,” Trump said.