OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
6:12 PM – Monday, July 13, 2026
A shell-shocked United States Senate gaveled in for the first time since the sudden passing of South Carolina GOP Senator Lindsey Graham, capturing a chamber consumed by grief and disbelief.
The South Carolina Republican passed away Saturday night at the age of 71 at George Washington University Hospital following a sudden cardiac arrest caused by an aortic dissection, shortly after returning from his tenth trip to Ukraine.
On Monday afternoon, the heavy atmosphere of the Capitol was anchored by the sight of Graham’s desk on the Senate floor, which was formally draped in a black cloth and adorned with a bowl of white roses.
Taking the podium to address the chamber, an emotional Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) choked up as he delivered a deeply personal eulogy for his longtime friend and Republican colleague.
Standing near the flower-laden desk, Thune’s voice cracked heavily as he attempted to articulate the sudden void left behind by the veteran lawmaker.
The Majority Leader struggled through tears to convey the surreal nature of the loss to the assembled senators.
“It’s difficult to believe that Lindsey Graham is no longer here with us — that we won’t run into him at a meeting today or share a joke with him at this afternoon’s vote,” he later reiterated on X.
The suddenness of Graham’s death has left lawmakers on both sides of the aisle shaken, insiders say, as the foreign policy hawk had shown no public signs of ill health during his recent international meetings.
Thune emphasized how much the daily operations and environment of the upper chamber would change without the senior senator’s presence. Pausing to compose himself during the floor speech, Thune looked across the chamber and remarked, “The halls of the Senate already feel empty without him…”
Additionally, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) took to the Senate floor and called on Thune to fast-track the bipartisan Russia sanctions and Ukraine aid bill that Graham had spearheaded just before his death.
Delivering his remarks directly to the chamber, Schumer stated: “I know if Senator Graham were here in the chamber today, he would also join me in urging the Senate to support Ukraine and strengthen sanctions on Russia.”
“I urge Senator Thune, in honor of Lindsey, to put the Russian sanctions bill on the floor immediately. It will pass overwhelmingly and help our allies in Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, the death marks the final chapter for the Senate’s famously self-described “three amigos” — the trio consisting of John McCain, Joe Lieberman, and Graham, who spent decades shaping American foreign policy. With the sudden passing of Graham, the last surviving member of the trio, the partnership has come to an end.
Following his death, legislative business has ground to a near-halt as lawmakers focus on paying tribute to Graham’s decades of public service in the military and Congress.
Going forward, the Senate faces immediate logistical and legislative steps to manage the vacuum left by his sudden passing.
Under South Carolina state law, Governor Henry McMaster (R-S.C.) holds the authority to make an immediate temporary appointment to fill Graham’s vacant seat. This appointee will serve out the remainder of Graham’s current term, which runs through January. Since Graham was actively running for re-election in November 2026, state election officials and political parties will have to quickly navigate the legal process for replacing his name on the upcoming general election ballot.\
Graham held major sway over federal spending and national security, meaning the Senate GOP must quickly reshuffle its committee assignments. At the time of his death, he served as the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and led the influential appropriations subcommittee overseeing foreign policy spending. His absence leaves a leadership gap as Congress faces pressure to draft a budget and negotiate spending bills to prevent a government shutdown before the September 30th fiscal deadline.
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