Graham surpasses Trump in online interest during undercard debate

Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) surpassed Donald Trump in online interest during the undercard Republican debate on Wednesday night. 

Graham sparked greater search interest than the real estate tycoon on Google, the search giant reported: 

Search interest for @LindseyGrahamSC surpassed @realDonaldTrump during tonight’s early #GOPDebate on @CNN → pic.twitter.com/WCTLBn44dr

— Google Politics (@googlepolitics) September 16, 2015

Trump, the GOP front-runner in the 2016 presidential race, was not on the stage with Graham, but is appearing in the following main card debate in prime time with 10 other top-tier candidates.

{mosads}Graham was relegated to the undercard stage Wednesday night, just as at the first GOP debate that took place last month, because he has been polling outside the top 10 candidates.

But the soft-spoken South Carolina lawmaker sought to turn that around a bit Wednesday, coming out swinging at the three other candidates on the stage with him.

Graham challenged Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) over his proposals for illegal immigration during a feisty exchange where he spoke of his own efforts at reform.

He also quipped during several portions of the debate about drinking as president and joking about former Sen. Strom Thurmond’s (R-S.C.) virility.

Excellent job by @LindseyGrahamSC tonight, glad America saw my friend as he is – funny, substantive & #ReadyToLead #CNNDebate

— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) September 17, 2015

Graham wrapped up his performance at the undercard debate by taking a swipe at Trump, suggesting that the celebrity real estate developer does not have serious ideas.

“Our leading candidate gets his foreign policy from watching television, and what I heard last night was the Cartoon Network,” Graham said, referring to a Trump speech Tuesday.

“‘Ohhh, I’m big, I’m strong, I’m gonna hit ’em in the head.’ That’s not foreign policy. That’s a cartoon character,” Graham said.