Lindsey Graham is dead

[bilateralrope]

Lindsey Graham, longtime Republican senator and Trump ally, dies at 71

6:31pm

US Senator Lindsey Graham died after a “brief and sudden illness,” his office said in statement posted on social media.

The office did not provide any additional details about the South Carolina Republican, who was 71 years old.

“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement said.

Graham was elected to the US Senate in 2002 and was running for a fifth term. He had been a close ally of President Donald Trump and a longtime hawk on Iran.

As a member of the US House in the 1990s, he backed policies aimed at isolating the country and limiting its missile and nuclear programmes.

He also cheered on Trump’s decision to strike nuclear sites last year and had been been a supporter of the latest conflict that started a few months ago.

The sparse statement by Graham’s office, which did not explain his death, comes during a stretch of concern about a lack of transparency about lawmakers’ health.

Representative Tom Kean Jr, a New Jersey Republican, was absent without explanation for months before returning to Congress and disclosing that he had been diagnosed with depression.

Senator Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, was hospitalised weeks ago for undisclosed health reasons.

Graham, who was most known for his hawkish foreign policy positions, mounted a brief bid for the party’s presidential nomination during the 2016 campaign and later was a vocal critic of Donald Trump, the eventual GOP nominee.

Yet Graham became one of the now-president’s closest allies in office, speaking with him frequently and becoming a regular presence on the golf course alongside Trump. He especially advised the president on foreign policy matters such as Iran and Russia and had just announced an agreement on Friday with the Trump administration to move forward on a package of Russia sanctions.

That's one Trump supporter out of the Senate.

[bobalot]

[aerius]

Good. One down, another 500+ AIPAC owned congress critters to go.

[J]

[bilateralrope]

His replacement, until the midterms, is his sister:

Darline Graham Nordone, sister of Lindsey Graham, chosen to fulfill remainder of his US Senate term

By MEG KINNARD and JEFFREY COLLINS
Updated 9:27 AM NZST, July 14, 2026

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, has been named as her late brother’s temporary replacement in the U.S. Senate after his unexpected death over the weekend.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced at a news conference at the Statehouse on Monday that Nordone would serve the remaining months on Graham’s current term, which expires in January. She’s expected to be sworn in this week, making her the first woman to represent the state in the Senate.

“It is such an honor,” Nordone said, as dozens of Graham staffers and campaign advisers stood behind her, some with eyes glassy from welling tears. “Lindsey has always been there for me. And now, I will be there for him.”

Introducing Nordone, McMaster said the two had spoken in “in the wee hours of Sunday morning” after Graham’s death, and he asked her to serve.

“I had wondered what you would say, and I was humbled by your quickness to see the duty that you had to serve,” McMaster said. He added that President Donald Trump “thought it was a great idea” when he later told him of his pick. Trump announced his support for Nardone to fill the seat earlier Monday.

Nordone has worked as an optician and at various state agencies, including the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and the Department of Employment and Workforce. She lives in Lexington, is a graduate of the College of Charleston and has a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling.

How will a special primary work?
A special election will be held next month to pick a new Republican nominee in the general election for Graham’s seat. He had been seeking a fifth term this year.

The rare open Senate seat has ignited a scramble among South Carolina’s most ambitious conservatives, who have been eager to climb the political ladder.

Republicans just finished a sprawling and bruising contest to figure out their nominee for succeeding McMaster, who is wrapping up his second term. State Attorney General Alan Wilson won the nomination, overcoming a field that included Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman — all of whom are now eyeing Graham’s seat following his death over the weekend.

According to South Carolina law, a one-week filing period for a special primary election begins on the second Tuesday after the candidate’s death, or July 21.

The special primary election would be held on the second Tuesday after that filing period closes, or Aug. 11. Any necessary runoff would follow two weeks after that, or Aug. 25.

From that point, the new nominee would have just over two months to campaign for the general election on Nov. 3.

All of this is problematic according to federal law, which requires military and overseas ballots to go out 45 days before any federal election. For the special election primary, that would have been June 27. Federal Election Commission officials didn’t immediately return a message seeking clarity about the process.

A conflict between state and federal law over the timing of the special primary. Which means SCOTUS are going to meddle in the outcome.

[aerius]

Sure, why not? Let's do some fucking nepotism while we're at it.

[Ralin]

Sure, why not? Let's do some fucking nepotism while we're at it.

Turns out it's actually pretty common to appoint a dead senator's widow as a placeholder until there's a new election. Suppose it stands to reason if they want to make a good faith effort to appoint someone who knew the deceased's opinions and can probably be trusted to more or less follow them. Not like there's an assistant senator position.

[Batman]

I know that intrafamily marriage laws are a lot looser in the US than they are in the civilized world, but 'sister', not 'widow'.

[bilateralrope]

In this case, I suspect that it's more that they don't want to appoint someone already in Congress to narrow their majority there. Nor do they want anyone who is going to try for his seat to go on record with whatever votes happen before the mid terms.

[Ralin]

I know that intrafamily marriage laws are a lot looser in the US than they are in the civilized world, but 'sister', not 'widow'.

Yes very good observation. Go you grab yourself a juicebox.

But Graham didn't have a widow, so you can see how another immediate relative would fit the spirit of the custom?

[Rogue 9]

I know that intrafamily marriage laws are a lot looser in the US than they are in the civilized world, but 'sister', not 'widow'.

Yes very good observation. Go you grab yourself a juicebox.

But Graham didn't have a widow, so you can see how another immediate relative would fit the spirit of the custom?

Graham in fact raised his sister after their parents' death and later legally adopted her so she could have his Air Force benefits. Under that doctrine there's a better argument for her than most siblings. Not that I expect good policy out of it, but it isn't against the spirit of the custom at all.

[bilateralrope]

I know that intrafamily marriage laws are a lot looser in the US than they are in the civilized world, but 'sister', not 'widow'.

Yes very good observation. Go you grab yourself a juicebox.

But Graham didn't have a widow, so you can see how another immediate relative would fit the spirit of the custom?

Graham in fact raised his sister after their parents' death and later legally adopted her so she could have his Air Force benefits. Under that doctrine there's a better argument for her than most siblings. Not that I expect good policy out of it, but it isn't against the spirit of the custom at all.

She has the one thing that matters most to the Republican party selecting someone: Trump's support.

At best it's just Trump thinking that nepotism is a good idea. If there is anything else she has said or done to gain his favor, it will be worse.

[Ralin]

Graham in fact raised his sister after their parents' death and later legally adopted her so she could have his Air Force benefits. Under that doctrine there's a better argument for her than most siblings. Not that I expect good policy out of it, but it isn't against the spirit of the custom at all.

Yeah I'd never had a reason to think about the subject before but seems like a fair way to fill the position? A senator's most important job skills are showing up to vote and having the right opinions. Picking a close relative of the deceased who had a good relationship with them can reasonably be expected to have a high chance of matching the latter.

[bobalot]

Does anybody believe Mitch McConnell is still alive?

[Ralin]

Does anybody believe Mitch McConnell is still alive?

Didn't he show himself to reporters or something?

Honestly I don't have any trouble doubting that he would go incommunicado if he was dealing with personal medical shit he felt like keeping private. His life's work is basically done. He's retiring next year. Yeah it's irresponsible but there's no real downside to it for him.

[aerius]

Does anybody believe Mitch McConnell is still alive?

I'd say he's likely in the same state as Bernie.

[B5B7]

Does anybody believe Mitch McConnell is still alive?

Didn't he show himself to reporters or something?

Honestly I don't have any trouble doubting that he would go incommunicado if he was dealing with personal medical shit he felt like keeping private. His life's work is basically done. He's retiring next year. Yeah it's irresponsible but there's no real downside to it for him.

No. They released a photo of him and his wife where they both look much younger. No reputable person has seen him, spoken to him, or heard from him, so it is most likely that he is dead (or severely incapacitated), and they are doing a cover-up.