Sen. Lindsey Graham’s, R-S.C., announcement on Saturday that he “fully” expects to be the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2027 swiftly triggered debate among conservatives.
“I fully expect to be Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2027 after Republicans retain control of the U.S. Senate,” Graham wrote. “As Chairman, my top priority will be to pass legislation that once and for all ends sanctuary city policies that lead to massive rip-offs of the taxpayer and much worse.”
But conservatives are questioning Graham’s previous voting record and his stance on President Donald Trump’s priorities.
‘Any Other Republican Would Be Better’
A Republican Senate staffer familiar with Graham’s voting record told The Daily Signal that the senator’s recent shift on policy could qualify him to serve as the committee’s chairman once more; however, it might still be insufficient to secure enough support to lead the committee.
“Senator Graham has broken with conservatives in the past on domestic spying and illegal immigration issues, although political winds seem to have brought him to a harder line on the latter in recent years. I would imagine they take a ‘trust but verify’ approach to his possible chairmanship of the Judiciary committee.”
Other conservatives familiar with Graham’s voting record, such as Oversight Project President Mike Howell, told The Daily Signal that Graham “is the most left-wing Republican on the entire committee, maybe tied with Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., but he is retiring.”
“Any other Republican would be better,” Howell said.
Separately, organizations such as Heritage Action, which provides members of Congress with a score based on how well their voting record aligns with the organization’s voting suggestions, awarded Graham a 56% lifetime rating, 12% lower than the average rating the organization gives to Republicans.
The League of Conservation Voters has also awarded Graham a 14% lifetime score on his voting record.
In the past, President Donald Trump has even referred to Graham as a “RINO” for calling the potential pardon of the Jan. 6 protesters “inappropriate.”
Controversial Voting Record
Graham, who has served in the Senate since 2003, was one of five Republicans to confirm President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Justice Elena Kagan, in 2010.
In 2011, Graham voted to confirm Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia James Boasberg. Boasberg has famously ordered the return of the foreign drug gang members who were deported to the El CECOT prison in El Salvador last spring. Some conservatives in Congress have since called for Boasberg’s impeachment. The Justice Department also filed a misconduct complaint against Boasberg in the summer of 2025.
In 2021, Graham voted to confirm Ketanji Brown Jackson to the D.C. Circuit Court, which some claim facilitated her confirmation to the Supreme Court a year later in 2022. Graham did not vote for Jackson’s confirmation to the Supreme Court.
Illegal Immigration Flip-Flop?
In his announcement, Graham pledged to put an end to “sanctuary cities” and policies that supply illegal immigrants with taxpayer-funded shelter while providing them with amnesty from federal immigration enforcement.
However, some conservatives note that Graham’s aggressive stance on illegal immigration seems to be a shift from his previous legislative efforts.
Graham, according to Howell, is a “left-wing proponent of amnesty.”
For instance, in 2021, Graham introduced the Dream Act, which would have offered a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States as children.
Graham’s First Run as Judiciary Chair
Graham chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021. Critics claim that under his leadership, the committee failed to act on the “RussiaGate” controversy, the 2020 election, and the politically charged COVID-19 pandemic.
“You failed the American people last time as Chair of Judiciary, refusing to take action on RussiaGate, because of your central role in the hoax,” Graham’s primary opponent, Paul Dans, wrote on X on Sunday.
Graham did not respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment.
