The political world awoke Sunday morning to news of the death of another prominent lawmaker, as questions swirled in Washington about the health of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who has been hospitalized for weeks after paramedics visited a patient in cardiac arrest at his home. US Senator Lindsey Graham south carolinaa foreign policy hawk who evolved from either: donald trump’s the most intense republican party One of the president’s most trusted allies and critics in Congress died Saturday night after what his office described as a “short, sudden illness.” He was 71 years old.
Graham’s office announced his death in a statement posted late Saturday, but did not specify the nature of his illness. The family asked for prayers and privacy, according to the Associated Press report.
President Trump responded at 3:21 a.m. Sunday: post In real social.
“Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest men and senators I have ever known, has passed away!” Trump wrote. “He was always working and a true American patriot. Lindsey will be sorely missed!!! Details and arrangements to come. So sad!”
Graham, who continued his long-standing campaign for stronger U.S. support for Ukraine and more pressure on Russia, had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kiev on Friday, the day before his death. His advocacy for a proactive U.S. role overseas has made him one of the Senate’s most prominent foreign policy voices, although his advocacy has sometimes put him at odds with the more isolationist elements of Trump’s movement.
for LGBTQ+ Dear Americans, Graham leaves behind a 30-year campaign against many of our community’s most important civil rights advances.
related: Laura Loomer says in court testimony that Trump staff told her Lindsey Graham was gay
Long track record of opposing LGBTQ+ equality
As a member of the House of Representatives in 1996, Mr. Graham voted for the Defense of Marriage Act. The law defined marriage for federal purposes as the union of one man and one woman and allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere.
He later supported a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between one man and one woman. In a statement supporting the amendment, Graham argued that judges should not be allowed to change the definition of marriage.
In 2010, Graham voted against a bill that would have repealed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that forced lesbian, gay and bisexual service members to hide their sexual orientation in order to remain in the military. The repeal bill passed the Senate 65-31.
Graham also voted against the Employment Nondiscrimination Act in 2013. The bill would prohibit discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill passed the Senate 64-32 with bipartisan support, but was not taken up in the Republican-controlled House.
When the Supreme Court was established nationwide marriage equality In the 2015 judgment Obergefell v. HodgesGraham made clear his opposition, but said he would abide by the decision.
“I’m proud to be a champion of traditional marriage” Graham saidHe added that he believes each state should have been allowed to determine its own marriage laws. Still, he said he respects the court’s decision.
Graham also mentioned Kim Davis. kentucky County officials who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples after the ruling should either follow the law or resign from their jobs. His position drew a distinction between accepting binding court decisions and upholding court-recognized rights.
In 2022, Graham voted against the Respect for Marriage Act. This law repealed the Defense of Marriage Act and required federal and interstate recognition of legally performed same-sex and interracial marriages. The bill passed the Senate 61-36 with the support of 12 Republicans. Mr. Graham was among those who voted against it.
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups happy He has repeatedly criticized Mr. Graham’s record, including his opposition to marriage equality and federal nondiscrimination protections.
related: Why is Lindsey Graham inappropriately obsessed with Trump’s amorous social gatherings?
Graham consistently denies being gay
Graham’s political career revolved around long-standing speculation about his sexual orientation, often expressed through homophobic jokes, innuendos, and attacks.
Graham, who was never married and had no children, always denied that he was gay. His unmarried status was no evidence of his sexual orientation.
In 2018, Graham directly responded after comedian Chelsea Handler posted crude innuendos about him. “It’s important to note that I’m not gay,” he said. Criticize handler’s comments Because it is of no use to the country.
The speculation intensified in June 2020 after adult film performer Sean Harding posted allegations about an anonymous Republican senator. Social media users recognized the senator as Graham, and the nicknames “Lady G” and “Lady Graham” began trending.
washington post explained What followed was a combination of political commentary, speculation, and trolling. Allegations that Graham hired male bodyguards were never supported by documentary evidence or independently confirmed by any reliable journalistic investigation.
2025, far-right activist Laura Loomer testified Mr. Trump’s staff told him that Mr. Graham was gay, according to the affidavit. Her explanation was second-hand and she provided no independent evidence to support her claims.
This rumor became a persistent feature of Graham’s public image, especially among critics who suggested that a gay politician opposing LGBTQ+ rights represented political hypocrisy. However, Graham’s sexual orientation was never publicly established.
Whatever the truth in his private life, Graham has repeatedly used public power to oppose the rights and protections sought by LGBTQ+ Americans.
From McCain allies to Trump supporters
Born July 9, 1955, in Central, South Carolina, Graham grew up working in his parents’ businesses, which included restaurants, bars, and pool halls. His parents died when Graham was in his early twenties, leaving him to help care for his younger sister, Darling Graham Nordon.
Graham received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina. He joined the Air Force as a military attorney and went on to serve in the South Carolina Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, eventually retiring as a colonel.
Mr. Graham was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 and took office in January 1995. He gained national attention as one of the House managers who led the impeachment charge against President Bill Clinton in the Senate.
He was elected to the Senate in 2002, replacing Strom Thurmond, and took office in January 2003. He held that position for over 23 years.
For much of his early career as a senator, Graham had a close relationship with Arizona Sen. John McCain. Both have pursued interventionist foreign policies and occasionally engaged in bipartisan negotiations, most notably their 2013 effort to overhaul the immigration system. The bill passed the Senate but was not voted on in the House.
Graham briefly campaigned for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. During the primaries, he called Trump a “weird man” and a “racist, xenophobic, religious bigot.” Trump retaliated by reading out Graham’s personal cell phone number while campaigning.
After Trump won the presidency, Graham underwent one of the most notable political changes in Washington. He became a golf buddy, informal advisor, and tireless defender of the president.
Graham served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021 and was instrumental in promoting Trump’s judicial nominees, including the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. He defended Trump in both impeachment trials.
Graham briefly appeared to break with Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“Count me out. Enough is enough,” Graham said on the Senate floor.
The separation did not last long. Graham returned to Trump’s side and remained one of his most visible allies in Congress throughout Trump’s second administration.
The election campaign for the fifth term has been discontinued.
At the time of his death, Graham was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and was campaigning for a fifth term. He won South Carolina’s Republican primary in June and was scheduled to face Democratic candidate Annie Andrews in November.
At the time of Graham’s death, Republicans held a 53-47 Senate majority. Under South Carolina law, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster will appoint an interim replacement to serve until January.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
