UPDATE: Donald Trump responds to Lindsey Graham's attack, calling him "an embarrassment to the great people of South Carolina" who is "beyond rehabilitation." (Also watch Trump's Omaha rally live now here)
Former GOP presidential contender Lindsey Graham is breaking his pledge to support his party's presidential nominee because Donald Trump is not "a reliable Republican conservative nor has he displayed the judgment and temperament to serve as commander in chief."
The South Carolina senator issued a statement Friday and then went on CNN to explain his decision to ignore the 2016 presidential race and not attend the Republican National Convention in July.
"It's hard to believe that in a nation of more than 300 million Americans Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will be our choices for president," Graham said in the written statement released by his Senate office.
Supporting Clinton is "absolutely" not an option because she would just be an Obama "third term," he said.
"I also cannot in good conscience support Donald Trump because I do not believe he is a reliable Republican conservative nor has he displayed the judgment and temperament to serve as commander in chief," said Graham.
On CNN, Graham said he believed "the Republcan party has been conned" by Trump.
Graham's announcement comes a day after House Speaker Paul Ryan said he could not support Trump's candidacy at the moment, however, Ryan and Trump are set to meet Thursday to talk about their differences.
