{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=F3CBD94E-FEAE-4F6D-9737-A7F957AC5610", "Graham Statements on Possible Trump Cabinet Appointments and Supreme Court", "2016-11-17", "2016", "2016-11", "Republican", "House", "SC", "Lindsey Graham", "G000359", "www.lgraham.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) made these statements today about former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) and Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas).\r\nOn Rudy Giuliani or John Bolton as Possible Nominees for Secretary of State:\r\n\u201cThe overwhelming majority of Republican senators have the utmost respect for Rudy Giuliani. He led the nation and New York through 9/11. He\u2019s a citizen of the world who is eminently qualified to serve as Secretary of State.\r\n\r\n\u201cAs for John Bolton, he was United Nations Ambassador under President Bush. He is a reformer who would turn the State Department upside down and make it work better. He understands who our friends and enemies are. We see the world in very similar ways.\r\n\r\n\u201cI believe an overwhelming majority of Republican senators would support either candidate and some Democrats would too. You will never convince me that Giuliani and Bolton are not qualified to serve at this level.\u201d\r\n\u00a0On Senator Rand Paul\u2019s Threat to Filibuster Giuliani or Bolton:\r\n\r\n\u201cYou could put the number of Republicans who will follow Rand Paul\u2019s advice on national security in a very small car. Rand is my friend but he\u2019s a libertarian and an outlier in the party on these issues. The fact that Senator Paul opposes Bolton and Giuliani will not keep them from serving.\u201d\r\n\u00a0On South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley as Possible Secretary of State:\r\n\r\n\u201cShe\u2019s done a good job as Governor of South Carolina. She\u2019s talented, capable and would do a good job in any assignment given to her. I think Nikki is a traditional Republican when it comes to foreign policy \u2013 more like Ronald Reagan than Rand Paul. I like her a lot. I would certainly support her.\u201d\r\nOn Ted Cruz for the Supreme Court:\r\n\r\n\u201cWe are replacing Justice Scalia, who was probably the most conservative justice on the Supreme Court. Ted Cruz is a constitutional conservative in the mold of Justice Scalia. If you are looking for a Scalia-type figure, Ted Cruz fits the bill. We have had our differences, but even his worst critics cannot say Ted Cruz is not one of the smartest, most gifted lawyers in the country. If you are looking for someone like Justice Scalia to serve on the Supreme Court, take a look at Ted Cruz.\u201d\r\n\r\n#####", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=F3CBD94E-FEAE-4F6D-9737-A7F957AC5610"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.280204091221094, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}