WASHINGTON — The tragic, sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham has left a void in the Senate and shrunk the GOP’s majority in the upper chamber, while sparking a mad dash to fill his shoes.
Graham, 71, died from a “brief and sudden illness” Saturday evening, the South Carolina senator’s office revealed.
His tragic passing means Republicans’ edge in the Senate will slip down to 52-47 seats — but that’s only on paper.
There are ongoing concerns about the health of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), 84, who is currently hospitalized.
There are also several Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and lame duck Sens Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who haven’t been shy about splitting from the party recently — especially on the Iran war and other foreign policy issues.
Meanwhile, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) will have to tap a temporary replacement to serve out the remainder of Graham’s term, and Republicans will have to name a successor to him on the powerful Senate Budget Committee.
Because Graham was up for reelection and had just won his primary last month, a special GOP primary to replace him as the party’s nominee in the Senate race is likely to occur by Aug. 11.
Already, firebrand Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is “strongly” considering tossing her hat in the ring to replace him. One name that was floated around was Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), who appeared to bat down rumors he might pursue it.
“[M]y goal is to remain in the House to keep his two-vote majority for the American people!!!” he posted on X Sunday.
Another possible contender is Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (R). Trump initially backed her in the gubernatorial primary, before also endorsing Attorney General Alan Wilson (R), who went on to win the runoff.
She had also been backed by McMaster in the primary.
“I have somebody that I think would be great. But I don’t want to say it now because, you know, it’s too soon with Lindsey,” Trump told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” Sunday about who might replace Graham.
Beyond his Senate seat, Graham had been a key foreign policy luminary with deep connections to US allies all around the world and a leading voice in the Senate on those issues.
He had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a day before his sudden death. Graham was widely seen as the more prominent hawk in either chamber of Congress.
Additionally, he had a record of working across the aisle.
“He was able to deal with Democrats,” Trump recalled of Graham. “If I had a problem, a real problem, I wouldn’t often ask. But if I had a problem with a Democrat, he could work it out. He was a great politician, actually.”
“He’s going to be appreciated more now than he was when he was living, I think,” the president later added.
Throughout Trump’s second term, Republicans have spent time worrying about their ultra-slim House majority, rather than the Senate, where Vice President JD Vance also serves as a tiebreaker.
Prior to his death, Graham led the Senate Budget Committee, which was set to play a pivotal role in advancing a follow-up to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that would’ve centered around President Trump’s beefed-up defense budget request.
Getting the follow-up bill was always an uphill battle for Republicans.
One potential agenda item was the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE) America Act, which would require voters to show proof of citizenship to cast their ballots.
Democrats had blocked that using the filibuster, but some Republicans eyed the budget reconciliation process — something Graham was set to lead — as a workaround to avoid the 60-vote requirement.
Trump had discussed the SAVE America Act with Graham on the phone, not long before his death.
“[H]e called and he said, ‘We’re all set for the Save America Act,’” Trump said, without elaborating on what that meant.
In addition to leading the Senate Budget Committee, Graham was also next in line to helm the Senate Judiciary Committee ahead of Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-Iowa) expected move to take the reins of another committee.
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