Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died Friday night at the age of seventy one, according to a statement from his office, following what was described as a sudden illness.
Graham spent decades in the Senate and became one of its more visible figures, known for shifting alliances and a willingness to change positions depending on the political moment.
He was a fierce critic of Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign before becoming one of his closest allies in the years that followed, a turn that supporters called pragmatic and critics called opportunistic.
On foreign policy, Graham was consistently hawkish, pushing for continued American involvement in conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East, and he was widely seen as one of Israel’s most vocal defenders in Congress.
Reaction to his death has largely fallen along familiar lines, with allies praising his instincts on national security and critics noting his reversals on issues ranging from judicial nominations to his past relationship with Trump.
His passing leaves an open Senate seat and questions about how South Carolina Republicans will navigate the succession.
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