U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican from South Carolina and a strong ally of former President Donald Trump, passed away at the age of 71 after what his office described as a "brief and sudden illness." Emergency services were dispatched to his Capitol Hill residence around 8:30 p.m. ET following a report of him suffering from chest pains. The dispatcher noted that the caller, who was en route from Baltimore, believed the door was unlocked, but responders found it deadbolted and had to knock repeatedly.
Audio from Broadcastify, a public safety radio feed archive, revealed that about 25 minutes after the initial dispatch, emergency personnel reported that CPR was in progress. Shortly after 8:50 p.m., they confirmed a man at the home was in cardiac arrest. Graham had recently returned from a trip to Ukraine, one of many he made since the 2022 Russian invasion, and was scheduled to appear on NBC's "Meet the Press" the following Sunday.
Former President Trump stated he spoke with Graham by phone around 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday night, just hours before his death. Trump mentioned they discussed the "SAVE America Act," a bill for overhauling voting in federal elections, and that Graham sounded a bit tired but otherwise perfect. Trump received news of Graham's passing around 1:00 a.m. ET, expressing that he was a "tough one to lose."
Graham's death creates a vacancy in the Senate. Under South Carolina law, Republican Governor Henry McMaster can immediately appoint a temporary replacement. Additionally, State Republicans will need to hold an expedited primary election to pick a nominee for the November 3 general election. This loss comes at a critical time, impacting the broader fight for control between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, especially as another senior Republican, Senator Mitch McConnell, remains hospitalized for undisclosed health problems.
