Thursday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) discussed his decision and others to rally behind Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) presidential effort despite having criticized the junior Texas U.S. Senator in the past.

Graham was pessimistic about the GOP’s chances in the November, but argued Cruz gave his party the best shot.

“We’re already split,” Graham said. “Here is my concern. We can lose in 2016 and we probably will. Trump gets wiped out, Ted makes it competitive, I don’t know if he can beat her or not, but at least we got a fighting chance. Yet Trump is the standard bearer. It’s not about 2016, it’s about losing the heart and soul of the conservative movement. I’m not going to stand behind a guy that gets David Duke’s support. What is it about Trump’s campaign that David Duke likes? I don’t think he is a reliable conservative Republican. So it’s no longer about winning the election for me, it’s trying to salvage a party that I love and conservatism as I know it.”

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