Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday predicted overwhelming congressional passage of an immigration reform bill.

“I think we are going to have a political breakthrough, that Congress is going to pass immigration reform,” Graham said on NBC's Meet the Press.

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He said the Senate will give the reform bill — which currently has a path to citizenship for the nation's 11 million illegal immigrants — overwhelming support.

“I think we are going to get plus 70 votes,” he said. “I've never been more optimistic about it.”

Graham said passing the bill is a political necessity for the GOP.

“If we don't pass immigration reform, if we don't get it off the table in a reasonable, practical way, it doesn't matter who we run in 2016,” he said. “We're in a demographic death spiral as a party.

The only way we can get back in the good graces of the Hispanic community, in my view is pass comprehensive immigration reform.”

Graham said a candidate like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush could win the White House in 2016 if Republicans back immigration reform.

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