Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina dies at 71 after brief illness

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died late Saturday night after a brief and sudden illness, his office said. Emergency responders attended a call reporting cardiac arrest at his Washington, D.C., residence.

Graham, 71, served in the U.S. House from 1995 to 2003 before succeeding Strom Thurmond in the Senate, where he was re-elected three times and had recently won a primary for a fifth term. He also spent more than three decades in the Air Force, retiring as a colonel in 2015.

Republican leaders issued tributes. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called Graham "a strong advocate for the United States and a strong ally to freedom-loving countries across the globe," adding that he fought passionately for South Carolina. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster described him as "irreplaceable" and said the state would not see his likes again.

Former President Donald Trump posted a remembrance on his social-media platform, calling Graham "one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known" and a "true American patriot." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country had lost "one of its greatest friends."

Graham was known for his role in defense policy and as a member of the Senate’s bipartisan "three amigos" delegation with the late John McCain and Joe Lieberman. He chaired the Judiciary Committee during much of the Trump administration, overseeing the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett and numerous federal judges, and later led the Budget Committee, guiding the administration’s tax legislation.

His death occurs as the Senate Republican conference faces a narrow majority, with Senator Mitch McConnell also absent due to health issues. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement, and a special election is scheduled for August to fill the remainder of Graham’s term.