© Reuters; Getty ImagesFormer president Donald Trump • Senator Lindsey Graham • Mar-a-Largo
Asked Monday evening by The Hill about his visit to the former commander-in-chief's Palm Beach estate, Graham (R-South Carolina) said the two spent a great deal of time reaching out to candidates on the ballot in 2022.
The two "just talked about the 2022 cycle," Graham explained, adding that, "He's very involved in helping the team win." Trump "made a bunch of phone calls," specifically with GOP senators, and is "trying to get the best team on the field."
When asked by a CNN reporter which senators he spoke to, Graham declined to say, only noting that Trump's message was, "You've been there for me and I'll be there for you."
Some of the 20 Republicans up for reelection in the 2022 cycle include Sens. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), John Thune (R-South Dakota), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) and James Lankford (R-Oklahoma).
Asked late Monday on Hannity if there was any indication he would run again in 2024, Graham said, "Stay tuned."
Graham's visit comes weeks after the former president met with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California), who visited him at his Florida club one week after President Biden's inauguration. McCarthy said after the meeting that Trump had committed to helping Republicans retake Congress in 2022.
Prior to McCarthy's visit, Trump had been almost silent after leaving office and largely absent in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who has vowed to stay neutral in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, will visit with the former president next week.
Trump is expected to proclaim that he is still in charge of the Republican Party and is its "presumptive 2024 nominee" when he makes his first public appearance, delivering the keynote address at the Conservative Political Action Committee conference Sunday.
R.C.