# Senator Lindsey Graham has died, plus discussion about his potential replacement **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 12, 2026, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618 "2026-07-12T06:53:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/1 "2026-07-12T06:53:42Z")
> **[Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after ‘brief and sudden illness’](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/sen-lindsey-graham-dies-71-brief-sudden-illness-rcna552722)** > > President Donald Trump led tributes to Graham, a leading Republican voice on defense and foreign policy, describing him as a “true American Patriot.” Just as we are wondering if Mitch McConnell is still alive, another Republican is confirmed dead. This is definitely going to shake up the balance in the Senate as we head into the midterms. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/2 "2026-07-12T06:58:50Z")
Bring me my all-white tux and my dancing shoes, I’ve got a flight to catch. Seriously, though, he knew that Trump was poison and was going to destroy the Republican Party AND the country, then spent the last ten years enabling him anyway because he was scared that Trump’s goons would out him. He was a sellout and a sack of crap and I won’t shed a single tear for him. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/3 "2026-07-12T07:05:19Z")
Time and chance happens to them all. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/4 "2026-07-12T07:26:21Z")
He just returned from Ukraine. Long international flights can cause blood clots. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/5 "2026-07-12T07:28:23Z")
Cursed week to be named Graham involved in US politics. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/6 "2026-07-12T07:42:45Z")
Because I’m largely unfamiliar with the specifics of US Politics (I can barely keep up) when there was first talk of Mitch McConnell in hospital, I put the wrong face to the name; I was thinking of this guy instead. So maybe I manifested it into happening. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/7 "2026-07-12T07:56:15Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > when there was first talk of Mitch McConnell in hospital, I put the wrong face to the name; I was thinking of this guy instead. So maybe I manifested it into happening. Now can you visualize a few more faces? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/8 "2026-07-12T08:00:45Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Now can you visualize a few more faces? Yes, please, @GuanoLad ! Start with the bald-looking Nazis and bearded putzes under 50. 😃 Now will we finally get some hint on what Orangeboy had on Lindsey? He turned from Rottweiler to best orange friend on Trump overnight. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/9 "2026-07-12T08:02:34Z")
[![](https://media.tenor.com/Q23XeWev-zAAAAAe/leave-me.png) ](https://media.tenor.com/Q23XeWev-zAAAAAe/leave-me.png) ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/10 "2026-07-12T08:12:08Z")
Does “brief and sudden illness” pretty much just mean “heart attack or stroke?” At least the Democrats will pick up a senate seat when the South Carolina governor appoints a Democrat to the seat. What??? Did I say something funny? It could happen. It could! I swear! ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/11 "2026-07-12T08:12:56Z")
Me too. I was picturing the Turtle dying, but it was another critter entirely. Oh well, too bad, so sad/s ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/12 "2026-07-12T08:13:37Z")
Window opening, following by rapid descent. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/13 "2026-07-12T09:06:39Z")
While I don’t know anything definite about him personally, it seems he may not have been a happy person and could have been subjected to blackmail. My hope is that he can rest in peace. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/14 "2026-07-12T09:07:06Z")
So, anyone have any idea of what this does for the election? Graham was up for reelection and won the R primary in June. I’m going to guess the SC Republican party can replace him on the November ballot. Second place in the primary went to a businessman named Mark Lynch, but he has no previous experience in public office as far as I can tell. So he’s probably not who they’ll replace Graham with. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/15 "2026-07-12T09:28:36Z")
News I got elsewhere is that they will have to have another primary on the 11th of August with a possible runoff on the 25th. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/16 "2026-07-12T10:03:22Z")
Good. Fuck 'em. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/17 "2026-07-12T10:23:11Z")
> **[Lindsey Graham, key ally of Donald Trump, has died after sudden illness, his...](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/12/lindsey-graham-key-ally-of-donald-trump-has-died-after-sudden-illness-his-office-says?CMP=share_btn_url)** > > Republican senator served in Senate since 2003 and was sharp Trump critic before becoming one of his most loyal backers The Guardian’s article implies a heart attack. This South Carolinian will not miss him. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/18 "2026-07-12T10:50:27Z")
There is only one sad thing I can say about the death of Lindsey Graham, and that is he never got to live his life honestly or to love openly. I do mourn the fact that our society still does that to people. His chance is gone. That feels like punishment enough. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/19 "2026-07-12T10:56:37Z")
Has there ever been a prominent politician that so sold his soul, his principles, as much as him? Maybe JD Vance? Graham was big McCain fan, couldn’t stand DT, but once DT won, he was one of the most fawning politicians out there. A man with no principles, who sold his soul to stay close to power to the detriment of the country and the world. Rest in no peace. > [@TruCelt](#): > > he never got to live his life honestly or to love openly If it’s true that he was gay and was hiding it, then sticking with and empowering the Republican party, the party who forced him to stay closeted, is another demonstration of his total lack of principles, his willingness to do or say anything to stay in or close to power. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2026, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618/20 "2026-07-12T11:25:57Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Has there ever been a prominent politician that so sold his soul, his principles, as much as him? Ted Cruz? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-lindsey-graham-has-died-plus-discussion-about-his-potential-replacement/1031618.md?page=2)