Dick Durbin mourns Lindsey Graham, recalls years of bipartisan clashes

Lindsey Graham died Saturday evening at 71 after a brief and sudden illness. Dick Durbin said the South Carolina Republican was a rare figure in a polarized Senate: a fierce opponent who still kept his word. Durbin called Graham a "fair-minded person" and recalled that their relationship was built on years of sharp policy fights and private trust.

Durbin said he had been with Graham last week at the NATO summit in Türkiye, where Graham was pressing senators on a strategy to end the war in Ukraine. Even as the two men clashed on major issues, Durbin said Graham was "part of every important policy issue" and an "indispensable player" in the Senate’s old network of bipartisan gangs, the loose alliances that once allowed lawmakers to cut deals across party lines.

That backchannel culture showed up again in immigration politics. Durbin said Graham was the only Republican who cosponsored the DREAM Act for years, a bill Durbin has introduced since 2001 and reintroduced with Sen. Lisa Murkowski in December 2025. The measure would create a pathway to lawful permanent residence for eligible undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children. Durbin, who chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee when Graham was the ranking Republican, said Graham’s word was good and there were "no cheap shots."

An emergency call on Saturday evening referenced cardiac arrest at a residence belonging to Graham. He had just returned from a trip to Ukraine and was scheduled to appear Sunday on NBC News’ "Meet the Press." Tributes were set for the July 12 edition of "Face the Nation."

Tributes came quickly from both parties and from the White House. President Trump, who said he spoke with Graham Saturday evening, called him "one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known" and said Graham sounded tired but "great." Trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff in Graham’s honor. Vice President JD Vance said he had disagreed with Graham over Ukraine aid but still liked him, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Graham’s influence on the federal judiciary, national defense and South Carolina would be felt for generations.

Graham had served in the Senate since 2003, built his reputation as a foreign policy hawk and, after years of criticism, became one of Trump’s closest allies. He was also running for reelection.