https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/biography

WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died Saturday evening following what his office described as a brief and sudden illness. He was 71.

News of Graham’s death broke early Sunday morning through a statement released by his office. His family expressed appreciation for the prayers offered on his behalf and asked for privacy.

Officials had not released further information about Graham’s illness or the circumstances surrounding his death as of Sunday morning.

His death ends a political career that included more than three decades in elected office. Graham served more than 23 years in the U.S. Senate and previously represented South Carolina in the U.S. House.

He remained active in Washington until shortly before his death. On Friday, Graham joined several senators in announcing an agreement with the Trump administration on legislation targeting countries that purchase Russian oil and natural gas.

The proposal sought to increase economic pressure on Russia and countries helping finance its war against Ukraine.

Graham was also seeking reelection to a fifth Senate term in November.

A South Carolina Native

Lindsey Olin Graham was born July 9, 1955, in Central, South Carolina. He grew up in the small Pickens County community where his parents operated the Sanitary Cafe.

The family business combined a restaurant, bar and pool hall. Graham frequently spoke about working there while growing up.

He graduated from Daniel High School in 1973. Graham later became the first member of his family to attend college.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina in 1977. He received his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1981.

Graham’s early life included significant personal loss and responsibility.

His mother died from Hodgkin lymphoma when Graham was 21. His father died from a heart attack approximately 15 months later.

Graham then became the legal guardian of his younger sister, Darline, who was 13 at the time. He remained close to his sister and frequently discussed the experience during his political career.

Service in the Air Force

Graham entered the U.S. Air Force in 1982 as an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

He served as a military attorney, defense lawyer and chief prosecutor. His active-duty career included four years at Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany.

After leaving active duty, Graham joined the South Carolina Air National Guard.

During the Persian Gulf War, he served at McEntire Air National Guard Base in South Carolina. His duties included preparing service members for deployment and briefing pilots on the laws of armed conflict.

Graham later joined the Air Force Reserve while serving in Congress. He eventually reached the rank of colonel.

He also served as a senior instructor at the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s School.

His military career covered more than three decades across the active-duty Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Graham retired from the reserve in 2015.

His military honors included the Bronze Star Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Legal and Political Career in South Carolina

Following his active-duty military service, Graham returned to South Carolina and practiced law.

He served as an assistant county attorney for Oconee County from 1988 through 1992. Graham also served as the city attorney for Central from 1990 through 1994.

His elected political career began in 1992. Voters elected him to represent Oconee County in the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Graham served one term in the General Assembly before seeking a seat in Congress.

In 1994, he won election to represent South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

His victory made him the first Republican to represent the district since the Reconstruction era.

Graham entered the House in January 1995 and won reelection three times. The district covered much of northwestern South Carolina.

During his House career, Graham became one of the impeachment managers who presented the case against President Bill Clinton during the 1999 Senate trial.

More Than Two Decades in the Senate

Graham sought the U.S. Senate seat held by retiring Senator Strom Thurmond in 2002.

He defeated former College of Charleston president and state appeals court judge Alex Sanders in the general election.

Graham took office on January 3, 2003. South Carolina voters reelected him in 2008, 2014 and 2020.

His service in the House and Senate gave him more than 31 years in Congress. His overall elected service, including the South Carolina House, covered more than 33 years.

Graham became one of the most recognizable Republicans in Washington. He regularly appeared on national news programs and remained closely involved in debates over defense, foreign policy, immigration and the federal judiciary.

He chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 through early 2021. Graham later served as the committee’s ranking Republican.

As Judiciary Committee chairman, Graham held a central role in the confirmation of federal judges. His tenure included the 2020 confirmation proceedings for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Graham became chairman of the Senate Budget Committee in January 2025. He continued serving in that position at the time of his death.

He also served on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Graham chaired its Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs.

That position placed him at the center of congressional decisions involving foreign aid, diplomacy and national security spending.

National Defense and Foreign Policy

Graham built much of his national reputation around military readiness and an assertive American foreign policy.

He consistently supported strong defense spending and continued American engagement overseas. Graham frequently warned about threats posed by Russia, China and Iran.

He supported the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also became a prominent advocate for continued American assistance to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.

Graham strongly supported Israel throughout his Senate career. He regularly defended American military assistance to the country and promoted closer cooperation between Israel and the United States.

His foreign policy positions sometimes placed him at odds with members of both parties who favored limiting American involvement overseas.

Graham argued that strong American leadership and military readiness helped deter larger conflicts. Critics described his approach as overly interventionist.

Bipartisan Work and Conservative Criticism

Although Graham maintained a conservative voting record, he developed a reputation for working with Democrats on selected issues.

He participated in bipartisan efforts involving immigration, national security and judicial nominations. His partners at different points included Senators John McCain, Edward Kennedy, Joe Lieberman and Chuck Schumer.

Graham supported several attempts to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Those efforts drew criticism from conservative activists who opposed providing a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants.

His willingness to negotiate with Democrats periodically produced Republican primary challenges. Graham nevertheless continued winning reelection by comfortable margins.

He remained a strong opponent of abortion and repeatedly introduced federal restrictions on the procedure later in pregnancy.

Graham also supported legislation involving law enforcement, border security, crime and the military.

A Close Friendship With John McCain

Graham maintained a close friendship and political partnership with the late Arizona Senator John McCain.

The two frequently traveled together and promoted similar national security policies. Graham supported McCain’s presidential campaigns and served as a national co-chairman of his 2008 campaign.

Their partnership, often joined by Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, became one of Graham’s defining relationships in Washington.

Graham frequently spoke about McCain following the senator’s death in 2018. He described McCain as a mentor, friend and major influence on his public service.

A Presidential Campaign and Changing Relationship With Trump

Graham announced his campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination in June 2015.

National security and foreign policy became the central themes of his campaign. Graham ended his candidacy in December 2015 before voting began in the Republican primaries.

During that campaign, Graham became one of Donald Trump’s sharpest Republican critics. He questioned Trump’s temperament and opposed his nomination.

Their relationship changed following Trump’s election.

Graham eventually became one of Trump’s most prominent Senate allies. He defended much of the administration’s agenda and supported Trump’s campaigns in 2020 and 2024.

Graham worked closely with Trump on judicial nominations, border enforcement and national security policy.

The relationship still included occasional disagreements. Graham criticized some of Trump’s proposed troop withdrawals and continued supporting foreign commitments that some Republicans opposed.

Despite those differences, Graham remained closely aligned with Trump during the final years of his life. Trump endorsed Graham’s campaign for a fifth Senate term.

What Happens to Graham’s Senate Seat

Graham’s death creates a vacancy in one of South Carolina’s two seats in the U.S. Senate.

The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires states to fill Senate vacancies through an election. It also allows state legislatures to authorize temporary appointments.

South Carolina law permits the governor to fill a Senate vacancy by appointment.

The temporary appointment covers the period between the appointment and January 3 following the next general election.

South Carolina’s next general election is scheduled for November 3. Graham’s current term was already scheduled to expire in January 2027, and the seat was on the November ballot.

The governor may appoint someone to represent South Carolina during the remaining months of Graham’s current term. The person elected in November would begin the next six-year Senate term in January.

State officials had not announced an appointment or a timeline for selecting an interim senator as of Sunday morning.

The vacancy also carries immediate consequences for Senate committee leadership. Senate Republicans will determine who succeeds Graham as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.

His other committee assignments will also be redistributed through the Senate’s established procedures.

A Major Voice in American Politics

Graham’s career included roles in some of the nation’s most consequential political debates.

He participated in the impeachment of one president and helped guide judicial nominations under another. He advised presidential candidates, sought the presidency himself and became a regular voice on American foreign policy.

Supporters viewed him as a determined advocate for the military, national security and South Carolina.

Critics challenged his support for military intervention and questioned the evolution of his relationship with Trump.

Graham never married and had no children. His younger sister and extended family remained central to his personal life.

His office said the family requested privacy following his death.

Funeral arrangements and additional information had not been announced as of Sunday morning.

The news of Graham’s death broke early Sunday morning. WEIS will update this story as more information regarding his death is released.