{"id":3195,"date":"2026-07-12T14:08:28","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T14:08:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3195"},"modified":"2026-07-12T14:08:28","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T14:08:28","slug":"lindsey-graham-71-south-carolina-senator-dies-after-short-illness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=3195","title":{"rendered":"Lindsey Graham, 71, South Carolina senator, dies after short illness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lindsey Graham, the high profile senior senator from South Carolina, died Saturday from \u201ca brief and sudden illness,\u201d his office said.<\/p>\n

Read more Bandits put log in road, ambush driver when he gets out to move it, NC sheriff says<\/a><\/p>\n

Graham, 71, had just returned from overseas and was running for a fifth term in the U.S. Senate. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1994 and spent one term in the South Carolina State House of Representatives.<\/p>\n

He was an ally of President Donald Trump often defending him, even though they occasionally would have public disagreements. The two were once rivals during the 2016 election when they both sought the GOP nomination for president.<\/p>\n

Trump called Graham, \u201cone of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known!\u201d on a social media post Sunday morning. \u201cHe was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dispatch audio obtained and reviewed by CNN<\/a> reveals emergency crews responded to a \u201ccardiac arrest\u201d at Graham\u2019s residence Saturday evening, the network reported.<\/p>\n

Graham represented South Carolina in the U.S. Senate since he was first elected in 2002, after stints in the U.S. House and South Carolina state house. He turned 71 Thursday.<\/p>\n

Graham held some power U.S. Senate leadership seats, including most recently serving as chairman of the Budget Committee. He was in line to become chairman of the Judiciary Committee if the Republican Party remained in control of the U.S. Senate after the 2026 midterms, a role he held from 2019 to 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a trusted adviser and colleague to me and many others, and numerous presidents and heads of state have relied on his counsel,\u201d said U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune in a statement on social media Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

South Carolina\u2019s senior senator briefly ran for president against Trump in 2016.<\/p>\n

He also was known for being a staunch ally of countries Israel and Ukraine. Before his death, Graham had just come back from a trip to Ukraine<\/a>. He was also outspoken about his support for the continuing U.S. military action in Iran.<\/p>\n

Read more What stood out most in Hornets\u2019 NBA Summer League loss to New Orleans<\/a><\/p>\n

Graham was competing for a fifth, six-year term in the U.S. Senate this year. He fended off five Republican competitors in June, winning the primary outright.<\/p>\n

Graham, who was a bachelor, is survived by his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, and her two daughters.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeggy and I\u2014and our children\u2014are devastated. Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable. The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America\u2014and a loyal and steadfast friend,\u201d South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said in a statement. \u201cWe grieve with Darline, his family and his devoted staff. May God hold him gently in the palm of his hand. We shall not see his likes again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Graham grew up in the small Upstate town of Central, where his family ran a restaurant and pool hall. Both of his parents died within 15 months of one another when he was a student at the University of South Carolina. Graham was the first in his family to go to college.<\/p>\n

He served in the U.S. Air Force for 33 years, including more than six years of active duty as a lawyer. He retired from the Air Force Reserves in 2015 as a colonel.<\/p>\n

Under South Carolina law, McMaster will name a replacement until the full-time successor wins the general election in November. The Republican Party is expected to hold a primary in August to select a candidate to replace Graham on the ballot to face Democrat Annie Andrews on Nov. 3.<\/p>\n

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.<\/i><\/p>\n

This story was originally published July 12, 2026 at 3:26 AM<\/span> with the headline “Lindsey Graham, 71, South Carolina senator, dies after short illness.” <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Read more If LaMelo Ball trade goes bad, could Hornets GM lose his job? Oh, absolutely<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Graham, had just returned from overseas and was running for a fifth term in the U.S. Senate. 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