Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Graham
Official portrait, 2013
United States Senator from South Carolina
In office January 3, 2003 – July 11, 2026
Preceded by	Strom Thurmond
Succeeded by	Darline Graham
Senate positions Chair of the Senate Budget Committee In office January 3, 2025 – July 11, 2026 Preceded by Sheldon Whitehouse Succeeded by Ron Johnson Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 Preceded by Chuck Grassley Succeeded by Dick Durbin Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 Preceded by Bernie Sanders Succeeded by Chuck Grassley Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee In office January 3, 2019 – February 3, 2021 Preceded by Chuck Grassley Succeeded by Dick Durbin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 3rd district
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Butler Derrick
Succeeded by	Gresham Barrett
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 2nd district
In office November 9, 1992 – November 14, 1994
Preceded by	Lowell Ross
Succeeded by	Bill Sandifer III
Personal details
Born	Lindsey Olin Graham (1955-07-09)July 9, 1955 Central, South Carolina, U.S.
Died	July 11, 2026(2026-07-11) (aged 71) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Cause of death	Aortic dissection caused by atherosclerosis
Resting place	Mount Zion Cemetery, Central, South Carolina
Political party	Republican
Relatives	Darline Graham (sister)
Education	University of South Carolina (BA, JD)
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Air Force Air National Guard Air Force Reserve
Rank	Colonel
Unit	Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps South Carolina Air National Guard
Awards	Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal
Graham's voice Graham on the links between food insecurity and terrorist recruitment. Recorded May 11, 2022

Lindsey Olin Graham (July 9, 1955 – July 11, 2026) was an American politician and lawyer. He was the United States Senator from South Carolina from 2003 until his death in 2026. He was a member of the Republican Party. Graham was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

Graham ran for President of the United States in 2016. After the election, he became an active supporter of President Donald Trump, having criticized him before. Throughout his congressional career, he supported the United States going to war and supported the U.S. military going into other countries.

Early life

Graham was born on July 9, 1955 in Central, South Carolina. his parents were Millie and Florence James "F.J." Graham. He studied at the University of South Carolina.

U.S. senator (2003–2026)

In 2002, Graham ran for the U.S. Senate after eight-term Republican incumbent Strom Thurmond announced his retirement. Graham won the primary unopposed and defeated Democratic opponent Alex Sanders in the general election.

Graham was re-elected to a second term in 2008, defeating Bob Conley. He won a third term in 2014, defeating Democrat Brad Hutto and Independent Thomas Ravenel.

Graham is known in the Senate for his support for a strong national defense, his support of the military, and as an advocate of strong United States leadership in world affairs. He is also known for his willingness to be bipartisan and work with Democrats on issues like global warming, tax reform and immigration reform and his belief that judicial nominees should not be opposed solely on their philosophical positions. He is also a critic of the Tea Party movement.

During his political career, Graham never lost an election.

2016 presidential campaign

On May 18, 2015, Graham informally announced his candidacy for President of the United States; he made a formal announcement on June 1 in his hometown of Central, South Carolina. After low polling numbers, Graham withdrew from the race on December 21, 2015. He later announced his support for Jeb Bush for president.

Personal life and death

Graham never married and had no children. He was close friends with the late Arizona senator John McCain.

During a 2025 deposition, Laura Loomer testified under oath that Graham was gay, saying that members of President Trump's staff had told her this in confidence. Graham denied being gay during his career.

Graham was hospitalized in Washington, D.C. on July 11, 2026 after going into cardiac arrest at his home. He was taken to George Washington University Hospital and died a few hours later at the age of 71. The cause of death was an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Two days after his death, Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham's sister, Darline Graham, to be interim senator for the rest of Graham's term. It is the first time that a brother was replaced by his sister in the United States Congress.

His funeral was held on July 28 in Washington, D.C. and the next day in Columbia, South Carolina. He was buried on July 29 in Central.

In October 2026, progressive and left-wing populist media organization The Young Turks released a documentary interviewing three men who alleged to have a sexual relationship with Graham.

References

Other websites

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lindsey Graham.

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Lindsey Graham

• United States Senator Lindsey Graham Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine official U.S. Senate site
• Lindsey Graham for U.S. Senate official campaign site
• Profile Archived 2013-06-17 at the Wayback Machine at SourceWatch
• "Swing Conservative: The perilous bipartisanship of Lindsey Graham." Archived 2005-11-04 at the Wayback Machine Washington Monthly, April 2005
• "The American Ghosts of Abu Ghraib", Sam Provance, Consortium News, March 27, 2007