Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died Saturday night following what his office described as a brief and sudden illness. He was 71.
Graham, a Republican who had served in the Senate since 2003, died at his Capitol Hill residence. Emergency responders arrived after a report of cardiac arrest, according to police scanner audio obtained by NBC News. Photographs show paramedics removing a person on a stretcher from the home and loading the patient into an ambulance as police and fire vehicles lined the street.
"Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period," his office said in a statement confirming his death early Sunday.
Graham held the chairmanship of the Senate Budget Committee and had been preparing for a bid to secure a fifth consecutive six-year term in November. Among the most recognizable figures in the chamber, he had built a reputation as a leading Republican voice on defense policy and international affairs, and maintained a close political relationship with President Donald Trump.
His death came just days after returning from a trip to Kyiv, where he met Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Graham had been scheduled to appear on NBC News' "Meet the Press" Sunday morning.
The loss adds to recent health emergencies affecting high-ranking Senate Republicans. Former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remains hospitalized after paramedics responded to a call at one of his residences last month for an individual experiencing cardiac arrest. A McConnell spokesperson has said the former GOP leader continues to recover, though his team has provided limited detail about his current condition.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Graham's sudden death leaves a significant void in Republican ranks at a critical moment for the party, and it underscores the fragility that can touch even the most prominent figures in power."
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