Lindsey Graham might be a realist on some issues, but there's no question that he's conservative throughout. For this reason, it's extremely interesting to see a fringe group on the right begin to run attack ads against him in his home state of South Carolina, as reported in National Journal.

Club for Growth President Patrick Toomey today announced his group is launching a 30-second television ad in South Carolina to criticize GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham's proposals to increase the cap on income subject to Social Security taxes. Graham supports a plan to raise the $90,000 cap on income subject to Social Security taxes to as much as $160,000. That money would be used to offset part of the transition cost to private accounts, estimated at between $1 trillion and $2 trillion. Toomey criticized Graham for trying to move the debate away from personal accounts. "We're very disappointed with Sen. Graham that we need a big tax increase ... and his recent comments that private accounts are a sideshow," he said.

Graham's office said in a statement that his opponents spent $3 million during the 2002 campaign targeting Graham's Social Security views. The Graham ad, which Toomey said would run for about two weeks, accompanies two other television ads the Club for Growth is launching in Nebraska and North Dakota to encourage Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson and Kent Conrad to support President Bush's plan to change Social Security. A Nelson spokesman said Nelson would not be influenced by outside advertising. He said Nelson's decision would be made based on the interests of Nebraska voters. "The senator has said he is open to private accounts provided they don't add to the deficit and they don't reduce benefits," the Nelson spokesman said. He said the ads are the first television spots on Social Security in Nebraska, adding AARP has run newspaper ads in the state.

The far right must be in dire straights if they have to secure the support of someone like Lindsay Graham (not to mention moderate GOPers like Chafee and Snowe, or conservative Dems like Baucus).

Josh Marshall notes the real third party action to watch in the Social Security debate will come on Thursday as thousands around the country will protest against bamboozlepalooza funders Charles Schwab and Wachovia.