South Carolina’s senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who served the U.S. Senate for 23 years, has died at the age of 71 after a brief and sudden illness.
Graham’s political journey began as a hawkish foreign policy advocate, backing Israel and regime change in Iran while working closely with Senator John McCain. In 2015, he launched a presidential bid that emphasized bipartisan healing, but his refusal to endorse Donald Trump as president—calling him a “jackass” and criticizing Trump’s anti‑war hero rhetoric—led to a public fallout. Trump later publicly called Graham “race‑baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot,” prompting Graham to destroy a collection of his mobile phones in a stunt video.
After Trump’s 2016 victory, Graham shifted his stance, becoming a close ally and friend. He defended the president’s policies, helped confirm Brett Kavanaugh, and supported Trump’s cabinet appointments. Nevertheless, after the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, Graham declared he was “cutting ties” with Trump, only to reverse that position during Trump’s 2024 campaign and again vote to acquit him during the 2021 impeachment trial.
Despite his alliance with Trump, Graham maintained relationships across the aisle, earning condolences from figures such as Adam Schiff and Elizabeth Warren following his death. His passing leaves the Senate seat open, prompting Governor Henry McMaster to appoint a replacement for the remainder of the year and prompt a primary for the November election. The loss of Graham’s seniority and influence may compel South Carolina Republicans to invest more heavily to defend an increasingly contested Senate position.
