What happens to sensible, moderate, bipartisan Republicans who break with the xenophobic base and pursue compromise and compassion over extremism

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Poor guy. I (almost) feel sorry for him:

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) approval rating is taking a pounding in his home state as a result of his strong support for a bipartisan immigration reform bill, a new poll showed Friday.

Graham’s approval rating has sunk to 31 percent and he has a 40 percent disapproval rating, according to a poll released Friday by Atlanta-based InsiderAdvantage. The new poll points to Graham’s support for the Senate immigration bill, which includes a path to citizenship, as a likely reason for his apparent unpopularity.

His disapproval among Republicans is higher — 46 percent — than among Democrats — 30 percent. Both give him an approval rating in the low 30s.

Only 21 percent of respondents approved of the immigration bill, while 63 percent disapproved. When asked whether they approved of Graham’s “efforts to reach a consensus among his colleagues” to pass the bill, 24 percent approved and 51 percent disapproved, including 57 percent of Republicans.

Of course, it doesn't help that Graham represents South Carolina, a bastion of Republican vindictiveness on immigration. And it's the Republicans, not the Democrats, who put the kibosh on the immigration bill. Graham is just suffering the consequences of not being extreme enough in a party of extremism.