Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican voice in the U.S. Senate and a leading advocate for American foreign policy, died Saturday night at the age of 71. Preliminary findings from the Washington D.C. medical examiner's office indicate the cause of death was aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Graham's office announced his passing early Sunday, citing a brief and sudden illness.
Graham, who represented South Carolina in the Senate since 2002, had a career marked by a significant rise from modest origins. His parents, Millie and Florence James Graham, owned the Sanitary Cafe, a restaurant, bar, and pool hall in Central, South Carolina. It was there, Graham once quipped, that he "learned diplomacy." As a child, he lived with his younger sister, Darline, and parents in a single room behind the establishment.
Graham was the first in his family to attend college, enrolling at the University of South Carolina. His college years were marked by personal tragedy: his mother died of Hodgkin lymphoma, and within 15 months, his father died of prostate cancer and a subsequent heart attack. Graham became the legal guardian for his sister, who was 13 at the time of their mother's death.
After earning a law degree, Graham served in the Air Force as a judge advocate general, eventually becoming the Air Force's chief prosecutor in Europe. He returned to South Carolina in 1989 and entered politics, winning a statehouse seat in 1992, followed by a U.S. House seat in 1994. In the House, he was known for his role in the impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton.
His election to the Senate in 2002 marked the beginning of his ascent to becoming a significant figure on the international stage. Graham developed a reputation as a foreign policy hawk, often collaborating with senators like John McCain and Joe Lieberman. He briefly returned to active Air Force duty to advise during the Iraq War and retired as a colonel in 2015, having been awarded the Bronze Star.
In his later career, Graham transitioned from being an opponent of then-candidate Donald Trump to one of his staunchest allies. He was known for his close relationship with Trump and his advocacy for policies aligned with the former president's agenda. Trump remembered Graham as "one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known."
Graham was also a strong supporter of Ukraine and Israel, advocating for U.S. aid to both countries amidst ongoing conflicts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lauded Graham as a "great patriot" and "one of Israel's greatest friends."
Prior to his death, Graham had returned to Washington D.C. from a trip to Ukraine, where he had been involved in discussions regarding new sanctions against Russia. His influential presence in the Senate and his deeply held views on national security and foreign policy leave a significant void in American politics.