"Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period," Graham's office said early Sunday, announcing the sudden death of the longtime South Carolina senator.
Family statement and immediate medical response
The office of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he died late Saturday of a "brief and sudden illness." The office provided no further medical details. The Washington Post, citing police scanner audio, reported emergency responders at Graham's Washington, D.C., home worked to stabilize a man Saturday night and transported him to a hospital. NBC News, citing emergency responders' audio, reported the call was for "cardiac arrest" and that CPR was in progress; NBC also reported photographs showing paramedics carrying a person on a stretcher from Graham's home to an awaiting ambulance.
Graham's recent trip to Ukraine and congressional roles
Graham had just returned from a visit to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; Zelenskyy posted photos of their meeting on X and thanked Graham for his support, noting it was Graham's 10th visit to Ukraine. Early Sunday, Zelenskyy said he was "deeply saddened" by the news and called Graham "a true defender of freedom."
Within the Senate, Graham chaired the Budget Committee and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs. He had served in Congress since 1994—first in the U.S. House, then elected to the Senate in 2002 and reelected in 2008, 2014 and 2020—and retired from the Air Force Reserve as a colonel in 2015, according to his official biography.
Legal and electoral mechanics in South Carolina
Under the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the governor must schedule an election to fill a vacant Senate seat; South Carolina law also allows the governor to appoint someone to serve for the remainder of the term. Graham's term expires in January. The state has already set a special primary to select the next Republican nominee for the seat on Aug. 11, with a runoff, if needed, on Aug. 25.
Graham won the South Carolina Republican primary in June, defeating five challengers, and was set to face Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the general election. Andrews expressed condolences on X, praising Graham's service as a JAG officer and Air Force colonel and urging South Carolinians to set partisanship aside in offering gratitude for his service.
Reactions from U.S. leaders and colleagues
Former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Graham, called him "one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known" on social media and told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he had spoken with Graham late Saturday—"sometime in the sevens"—and that Graham had sounded "a little tired" after his Ukraine trip. Trump said he received a message at about 1 a.m. that Graham had passed away and praised Graham's devotion to politics and his advocacy for the SAVE America Act.
Senate leaders and colleagues offered immediate condolences. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said his "heart is heavy," calling Graham a strong advocate for the United States abroad. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., called Graham "a statesman" and a friend and said he expected at least one or two U.S. House members from South Carolina would be considered for an appointment to the seat. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., also issued statements expressing shock and praising Graham's public service.
Former President Joe Biden, who served with Graham on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said they "disagreed often, and sometimes loudly," but that they agreed on the importance of public service and both loved the Senate as an institution.
What this means for Gov. Henry McMaster, Senate Republicans, and Annie Andrews
- Gov. Henry McMaster: McMaster said he and his family were "devastated" and called Graham "irreplaceable." South Carolina law gives the governor authority to appoint a successor to serve the remainder of the term, a decision that will shape the state's representation through January and the immediate balance of the Senate.
- Senate Republicans: Republicans held 53 seats at the time of Graham's death. The vacancy further reduces the active Republican delegation in a Senate already managing the prolonged absence of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has been hospitalized since June 14 for an undisclosed condition.
- Annie Andrews: The Democratic nominee extended condolences and framed her remarks around gratitude for Graham's service; the party's general-election matchup will proceed amid the state law timetable for selecting a Republican nominee and any gubernatorial appointment.
Lindsey Graham's passing leaves a vacuum in committee leadership, a tight arithmetic moment for Senate Republicans and a compressed calendar for South Carolina's Republican nominating process. The governor's next steps on appointment and the special primary on Aug. 11 will determine who temporarily fills the seat and who will carry the party's banner into the November contest.
