Lindsey Graham's Sudden Passing Sparks Reactions Across the Nation

Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, who had become one of President Donald Trump's staunchest political allies, died on Saturday after a "brief and sudden" illness, his office said in a statement. He was 71.

"Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period," said the statement, which was posted early Sunday on social media.

First elected to the Senate in 2002, Graham had in 23 years risen to be one of the chamber's most prominent figures. He won reelection three times, most recently in 2020.