Lindsey Graham tells Iowa he's a hawk

It's not possible to destroy radical Islamic terrorists without American assistance, and that means sending American troops overseas, Republican Lindsey Graham said Friday during his first visit to Iowa since declaring he's interested in a White House bid.

"It is our war, too," said Graham, a 12-year U.S. senator from South Carolina.

During a two-day Iowa trip, Graham met with state politicians, state budget officials and military officials and veterans, including a 74-year-old Iowa Silver Star recipient who was shot down during the Vietnam War. Graham stressed his focus on military strength and fixing the federal government's economic troubles.

"What compels me to run," Graham told reporters at a news conference at the Embassy Suites hotel Friday afternoon, "is that I've never been more worried about our nation and the threats we face at home and abroad, and we're running out of time to deal with these threats. Never since 9/11 have I seen so many terrorists, or dare I say armies now, with so much safe haven, so many recruits, so much money, so much capability to attack our nation than I do today."

Graham, 59, was a lawyer in the Air Force and remains in the Air Force Reserves. Supporters think there's room in a GOP presidential race for someone with military experience, given that one of the top issues of the day is how to deal with Islamic State terrorists and hot spots overseas.

But in an extremely crowded GOP field, with at least 19 Republican White House hopefuls actively circulating in Iowa, it remains to be seen whether Graham will have a message that resonates, donors willing to give him the financial backing he'd need or the time to build campaign infrastructure in the early states.

Graham said he has organized a "a testing the waters committee" called Security Through Strength.

America needs to be secure "not just from radical Islamic threats but from economic ruin. One of the greatest threats we face is an $18 trillion budget deficit — the retirement of 80 million baby boomers that will sink Medicare and Social Security if adjustments are not made," he said.

That means Democrats and Republicans have to come together to deal with how to fix entitlements, and it will mean some sacrifice, he said.

At the State Capitol on Thursday afternoon, Graham met with Iowa House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha, and House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer, R-Garner, then sat down with state Sens. Bill Dix, Charles Schneider, Jack Whitver, Dan Zumbach and Tim Kapucian. He caught a couple of minutes with Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, on the Senate floor before he left.

Ron Dardis, a former adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, hosted a meet-and-greet at the Hyperion Field Club in Johnston on Thursday evening that drew about 80 people. Many in the audience were veterans and military leaders, Graham's aides told The Des Moines Register. The event was closed to the press.

One guest was Earlham native Larry Spencer, a prisoner of war in Vietnam from 1966 to 1973 who spent time in the Hanoi Hilton with Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain. When Graham heard Spencer's history, he dialed up McCain and handed the phone to Spencer so they could chat.

On Friday morning, Graham met with Dave Roederer, director of the Iowa Department of Management, about Iowa's budget and the challenges of state health care expenses, aides told the Register.

Then he drove to Camp Dodge to meet with members of the Iowa National Guard and thank them for contributions they have made in defending the nation. The Guard has sent 17,000 members to Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001. Graham also talked to them about Obama's defense cuts and his feeling that the country needs to rebuild its military, aides said.

Graham was in Iowa just before the fall elections, stumping for U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst. He traveled with her in her campaign RV and helped work audiences for her at a Greater Des Moines Partnership breakfast, a Greater Des Moines Rotary lunch at the Wakonda Club, and meet-and-greets in Guthrie, Cass and Audubon counties Oct. 23.

Graham is already promising to return. He will join 10 other White House aspirants at the daylong Iowa Ag Summit on March 7, organizers said.