Lindsey Graham: 'Primary is over; Romney will be the nominee'

Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham on Sunday declared that the GOP presidential primary was effectively over and called for his party to united behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

"I think that the primary is over," Graham told CNN's Candy Crowley. "Romney will be the nominee. Fiscal and social conservatives will unite and form a bond with libertarians and independents, and we'll win the White House if we can run a good fall campaign."

"I like our chances, but it will be Romney," he added. "The elephant hasn't sung yet, but she's warming up."

Graham noted that he had not yet endorsed the former Massachusetts governor.

"But I'm very comfortable with him," he said. "He'll get the 1144 [necessary delegates]. The last thing I want is a brokered convention. I want us to come out of Tampa united behind Romney -- conservative, socially and fiscally -- working together with libertarians and independents and take back the White House before it's too late."

Watch this video from CNN's State of the Union, broadcast March 25, 2012.

(H/T: Politico)