By Jackson Richman
Contributing Writer
Lawmakers and dignitaries paid tribute to former Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., with speakers praising him as a selfless and patriotic American.
Graham lay in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on Tuesday as mourners gathered to remember the longtime member of Congress. He was in a coffin covered by the American flag. His casket was carried by American service members in tribute to Graham’s military service.
Graham died at the age of 71 on the evening of July 11 from a suspected aortic rupture.
At the ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Sherri Biggs, R-S.C., said Graham was more than a member of Congress.
“When people talk about Lindsey Graham, they often talk about the titles he has held — the congressman, the senator, the chairman, the colonel — but titles only tell a small part of the story,” she said. “To truly understand Lindsey, you have to understand his deep love for South Carolina and his family, and his belief that public service is a responsibility, not simply a position.
“To say he loved South Carolina is an understatement.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., noted Graham was respected by members of both major political parties.
“Senators on both sides of the aisle counted him as a friend,” he said.
“Lindsey was a towering figure here in the Senate and on the international stage,” Thune added. “His leadership on national security and our national defense is well known.”
Thune said that while Graham “will be remembered as a senator and as a statesman … I will remember him as my friend.”
Vice President JD Vance, who served with Graham in the Senate, said Graham “loved people from all walks of life.”
The service at the U.S. Capitol was followed by a funeral service for Graham at the Washington National Cathedral. In addition to Trump and other U.S. leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were scheduled to attend.
Trump called Graham a “true American original” and praised Graham as “a beloved friend, a devoted brother, a respected statesman, [and] a giant of the United States Senate” who passed away too soon.
“By the strength of his steadfast convictions, the force of his magnetic personality, and the goodness of his noble soul, Lindsey rose from a small town in rural South Carolina, a place he loved so much, to become a constant fixture of American politics at the highest level, and a force to be reckoned with all over the world,” he said.
Trump emphasized Graham’s impact on Washington.
“For more than 30 years, nothing of consequence happened in this capital without Lindsey Graham knowing about it,” he said. “Nothing of significance happened anywhere in the world without Lindsey Graham having a view on it.”
“In a city where politicians often become jaded and cynical, Lindsey Graham never lost the old-fashioned American idealism that brought him to the highest levels of government and life,” Trump added.
Graham was first elected to Congress in 1994 and served in the House of Representatives between 1995 and 2003. He served in the Senate from 2003 until his death.
Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to finish her brother’s term, which ends on Jan. 3, 2027. Nordone announced she would run for a full six-year term. She has been endorsed by Trump.
A funeral and burial for Graham will be conducted on Wednesday in South Carolina.
