RIP, Lindsey Graham (1955-2026)

Lindsey Graham served our country in uniform and in Congress for decades and had become one of the most influential members of the US Senate as an ally of Donald Trump. His family announced overnight that the former colonel in the Air Force Reserve had passed away from a recent and brief illness at the age of 71, shocking everyone:

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has died at the age of 71 following what his office described as a “brief and sudden” illness.

In a statement released early Sunday morning, Graham’s office confirmed his passing and said his family is requesting privacy as they mourn. The longtime South Carolina Republican had served in the U.S. Senate since 2003 after first being elected in 2002 and was seeking a fifth Senate term after winning the Republican primary last month.

Donald Trump and Sen. John Fetterman posted tributes on Truth Social:

Expect many more tributes to pour in today. Graham was no stranger to political battles but never made arguments personal, opting instead for a courtly manner from a bygone period. Graham at times even crossed swords with Trump, although he fostered a close relationship with the Republican leader at most times. Graham is best known for his impassioned arguments for stronger national defense and for a robust military response to terrorism, especially in regard to Iran, where he and Trump differed on the ceasefire and deal-making efforts. 

Graham’s sudden passing leaves his seat in the Senate empty at a critical time. He had just won the South Carolina primary for his re-election in November, but now the GOP faces a crucial decision on how to replace him on the ticket. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster will appoint a replacement to serve out the rest of Graham’s term, which expires at the end of this session of Congress on January 3. McMaster, a Republican, will no doubt want to appoint a Republican with a good chance of winning a special-election primary, which will have to take place within a month. 

WYFF notes the timing and sequence:

Unlike some states, South Carolina does not generally require the governor to appoint someone from the same political party as the senator who left office. That gives the governor broad discretion in choosing a temporary replacement.

In June, Graham defeated multiple primary challengers to secure his party’s nomination as he vied for a potential fifth term. Now, a special primary must be held by Aug. 11, according to state election laws, to find a replacement nominee.

The South Carolina Board of Elections Director Conway Belangia told WYFF News 4 that the filing period for that special election would likely be July 21-28.

If McMaster desires, he could appoint himself and leave the state to the hands of Lt. Governor Pamela Evette, but it’s not clear he’d want to run for a full term. Evette herself might be the top choice otherwise, as Politico notes:

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette is seen as a top option for McMaster to appoint to temporarily fill Graham’s seat. She and the governor share a close relationship, but perhaps more important in the state’s deep-red conservative political environment, Evette also has Trump’s stamp of approval.

She ran for governor this year and was the first candidate to win Trump’s backing. But as her campaign lagged, the president also issued a late endorsement for the eventual winner, Attorney General Alan Wilson. The lieutenant governor could also reactivate her gubernatorial campaign’s infrastructure to begin quickly mounting a Senate primary bid.

Mark Lynch, who lost to Graham in this year’s primary, will likely run again. Nancy Mace just flamed out in the gubernatorial primary, and now she’s free to seek the office. Rep. Joe Wilson also makes Politico’s list. Evette makes the most sense here, though, as she already had Trump’s endorsement, and he owes her one after double-endorsing her opponent in the runoff for the gubernatorial nomination, Alan Wilson. 

If Republicans can coalesce quickly behind a candidate, Politico notes the clear advantage they still have in South Carolina:

Trump won the state by double-digit margins in his three runs for president, and prior to his death most election observers believed that Graham was on a glide path to another term.

The last marginally competitive Senate race was in 2020, when Graham faced off against future Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison.

Harrison raised a prodigious amount of money, topping out at over $100 million for his campaign, but still ended up losing to Graham by 10 points.

Let’s hope the GOP can honor Graham by finding a worthy successor. In the meantime, please pray for Lindsey Graham, his family and friends, and all of the people he served in his life – including you and me. 

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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