Tim Scott mourns Lindsey Graham, calls him irreplaceable after sudden death

Tim Scott said Lindsey Graham was "irreplaceable" as South Carolina Republicans took in the loss of a senator who spent more than two decades shaping the party’s approach to national security, the courts and Washington dealmaking. Scott said Graham "always led with faith, family, and South Carolina first," and said Graham could be "loud and obvious, and sometimes even obnoxious," but that his death left a hole in the Senate that "cannot be filled."

Graham died Saturday, July 11, 2026, at age 71 after a "brief and sudden illness." His office released a statement early Sunday and asked for privacy for his family. He had just returned from an overseas trip and was scheduled for a Sunday television appearance.

The South Carolina Republican had served in the U.S. House from 1995 to 2003 and in the Senate from 2003 until his death, after winning election to the chamber in 2002. Before Congress, Graham spent 6.5 years on active duty as an Air Force lawyer and later served in the South Carolina Air National Guard. That background defined his public profile in the Senate, where he was a forceful voice on national defense, the judiciary and South Carolina’s interests.

Gov. Henry McMaster said he and his family were "devastated" and called Graham "irreplaceable," adding that they would mourn with Graham’s sister, Darline, his family and staff. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said his "heart is heavy" and called Graham a trusted adviser whose influence on federal courts, national defense and South Carolina would be felt for generations. President Donald Trump called him one of the greatest senators he had ever known.

South Carolina law provides for a temporary appointment by the governor and a special Republican primary to help fill the vacancy and choose the GOP nominee for the November election. That process will decide who occupies the seat for the rest of the term.