By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter
jevans@thepccourier.com

STATE — U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Pickens County native, died unexpectedly Saturday evening, bringing a long political career to a close.

Graham’s office announced his death at age 71 in a statement early Sunday morning.

“On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness,” it read. “Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.”

Born in Central, Graham became his sister’s legal guardian in his early twenties after his parents died within 18 months of each other. He was the first member of his family to attend college, earning undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina.

Having joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corp following high school, Graham was commissioned as an officer in the Judge Advocate General Corps in the United States Air Force in 1982, following his graduation from the USC School of Law.

He joined the South Carolina National Guard in 1989, serving until 1995. He then became a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

Graham served one term in the S.C. House of Representatives after being elected to represent Oconee County’s District 2 in 1992, then ran for the U.S. House of Representatives Third District seat, defeating two primary challengers before winning 60 percent of the vote. His campaign was assisted by support from U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, the state’s longest-serving senator.

Upon Thurmond’s decision to retire from the Senate in 2002, Graham ran unopposed in the Republic primary to succeed Thurmond and won the general election with more than 54 percent of the vote.

He won reelection in 2008, 2014 and 2020.

At the time of his death, Graham was the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and served as a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Graham was seeking reelection this year and defeated five challengers in the June Republican primary, capturing nearly 57 percent of the vote.

Following his primary win, Graham thanked his supporters, including one at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, D.C.

“Thank you to the big guy, God,” Graham said in a statement. “Thank you to the Republican primary voters for your confidence in me and for rejecting

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