California’s two Democratic senators and a Riverside County congressman were paying tribute to Lindsey Graham Sunday after the longtime South Carolina senator died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 71.
Graham’s office released a statement late Saturday night saying that the Republican senator “passed away from a brief and sudden illness” on Saturday evening. No further details were provided.
“I think we’re all trying to wrap our heads around this giant loss,” Sen. Adam Schiff told Kristen Welker on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday morning.
“He was one of those figures that was really larger than life, that was so filled with energy that it’s hard to imagine him gone,” Schiff continued. “But you have folks in political life who can disagree and not be disagreeable about it. … He had, as Tim Scott was alluding to, a wonderful sense of humor that he used to cut through the tension. He used that sense of humor in a self-effacing way. He would make jests about his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. And he was just, I think, wonderful to travel with. I had the opportunity to go with him around the world to see the respect that world leaders had for him.
“I think those of us in the Senate, as well as around the world, understood how close he was to the president. Many of us consider him the Trump whisperer. If we wanted to know what the president’s thinking was, or how he might be moved on something, you would go to Lindsey to discuss it. But what I remember most about Lindsey, what I would treasure most about him was his just very quick wit, his wonderful sense of humor,” Schiff said. “And how he deployed it to move his policy positions forward. His tremendous grasp of foreign policy, his staunch support of Ukraine, which I think will be a big part of his legacy as well.”
Sen. Alex Padilla released the following statement Sunday morning:
“I am shocked to hear of the sudden passing of Senator Graham. While we disagreed on much, I respect Lindsey’s dedication to public service, from his time in the military, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. Angela and I are praying for his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”
Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, posted the following statement on X:
“I’m shocked and saddened by the passing of my friend, Senator Lindsey Graham. I’ve had the honor to serve alongside and work with Lindsey for more than 30 years. He loved America deeply and dedicated his life to serving it. Lindsey enlisted in the Air Force and later the Air Force Reserve, serving even after he was elected to Congress. He was a patriot who believed passionately in a strong national defense and building alliances with forces of freedom around the world. Congress, and our country, are better because of Lindsey’s service and many significant contributions. My prayers are with his family, friends, and staff.”
President Donald Trump posted the following statement on Truth Social:
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead! He was always working, and was a true American Patriot. Lindsey will be greatly missed!!! … So sad!”
Trump later told “Meet the Press” that he spoke with Graham by phone Saturday night after returning from a trip to Ukraine. “He sounded a little bit tired, but perfect,” the president said.
After graduating from the University of South Carolina, Graham was a U.S. Air Force lawyer who later served in the South Carolina Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force Reserve. He was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives and then to the U.S. House of Representatives, before his election to the U.S. Senate in 2002.
Graham was a conservative and foreign policy hawk who championed the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. He later became a staunch advocate for Trump’s policies, after initially delivering harsh criticism of Trump’s character during the 2016 presidential campaign, when Graham unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination himself.
Graham’s death is not expected to affect the balance of power in the Senate. Gov. Henry McMaster will appoint a temporary replacement for Graham, and South Carolina is considered a safe Republican state for November’s election.