Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) continued to lend his Southern street cred to Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) last week, saying he agrees with the GOP presidential candidate’s call for more conservative justices to be named to the Supreme Court.

“I’m proud of the role I played in confirming John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court,” Graham said in a statement. “They are distinguished jurists who will serve our nation with honor and distinction in the years to come. Their presence and votes on the court have already moved our judiciary in a positive direction.

Both McCain and Graham, who faces a nominal GOP primary challenge from the right, drew the wrath of conservatives in the last Congress when they became part of the “Gang of 14,” a group of Senators that sought a compromise on President Bush’s judicial selections. But Graham seemed to want to distance himself — and McCain — from those days.

“The next President will likely have the opportunity to appoint several more Supreme Court justices,” he said. “John McCain will nominate judges like Roberts and Alito.”

— Matthew Murray