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Lindsey Graham, the high profile senior senator from South Carolina, died Saturday from “a brief and sudden illness”, his office said.
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Graham, 71, had just returned from overseas and was running for a fifth term in the U.S. Senate. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1994 and spent one term in the South Carolina State House of Representatives.
He was a staunch ally of President Donald Trump often defending him, even though they occasionally would have public disagreements. The two were once rivals during the 2016 election when they both sought the GOP nomination for president.
Graham, who was a bachelor, is survived by his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, and her two daughters
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Graham, 71, represented South Carolina in the Senate since 2002, after stints in the U.S. House and South Carolina state house.
“Peggy and I—and our children—are devastated. Lindsey Graham is irreplaceable. The fiercest of fighters for South Carolina and America—and a loyal and steadfast friend,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said in a statement. “We grieve with Darline, his family and his devoted staff. May God hold him gently in the palm of his hand. We shall not see his likes again.”
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This is a breaking news story and will be updated.