Lindsey Graham: 'A Kasich-Rubio ticket would be great'

NEW YORK, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was backing former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush for president, has floated the idea of Ohio Gov. John Kasich as Sen. Marco Rubio's vice presidential pick.

"I think a Kasich-Rubio ticket would be great," Graham told WABC New York on Monday. "Rubio-Kasich, Kasich-Rubio -- I think those combinations, if they could consolidate and come together, would be [a] very potent ticket in the fall and maybe help us stop [Donald] Trump."

Graham also suggested a "Rubio-Kasich-Cruz alliance," saying that the goal was to stop Trump from winning the Republican presidential nomination at all costs. Graham said such an outcome would "change the party for the worse."

"Donald Trump would get wiped out in November, but really make it hard for the party to succeed in the future," he said.

Graham exited the race for the nomination in December, endorsing Bush shortly thereafter. Bush dropped out after finishing fourth in Graham's home state of South Carolina on Saturday.

"I didn't make it, Jeb didn't make it, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But I can tell you this, that I think I understand the nation pretty well in terms of what problems we have as Republicans," Graham continued, slamming Trump for "race baiting and religious bigotry."

Graham has long been candid about the future of the Republican Party, particularly when it comes to Trump. At an appearance at the Republican Jewish Coalition in December, Graham went off script, saying: "I believe Donald Trump is destroying the Republican Party's chance at winning an election we cannot afford to lose."