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Sen. lindsey graham, RS.C., died Saturday night after a “brief and sudden” illness, according to a statement from his office. He was 71 years old.
“On the afternoon of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away due to a brief and sudden illness,” his office said.
“Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” he continued.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks to reporters about aid to Ukraine on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, March 10, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued a statement early Sunday morning saying he is “devastated” by the news of Graham's death.
“Peggy and I – and our children – are devastated,” he said in a statement. “Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable. The fiercest fighter in South Carolina and America, and a loyal and steadfast friend. We mourn Darline, we have family and her developed staff. May God hold him gently in the palm of his hand. We will not see the likes of him again.”
Graham was elected to the United States Senate in 2002 and won re-election three times. He was seeking a fifth term in the Senate after winning the Republican primary last month.
Graham served as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and served on the Appropriations, Judiciary, and Environment and Public Works committees.
Before joining the Senate, Graham was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1994, becoming the first Republican to represent South Carolina's 3rd congressional district since 1877.
Graham served 33 years in the U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 2015. An Air Force attorney, he served in Germany during the Cold War, was called to active duty during the Gulf War and then completed multiple Reserve deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan during congressional recesses.
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Graham's office confirmed his death in a statement to Fox News Digital.
This is breaking news; Please check back for updates.
