{"id":4332,"date":"2026-07-12T20:38:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T20:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4332"},"modified":"2026-07-12T20:38:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T20:38:35","slug":"lindsey-grahams-sudden-death-could-hamstring-trumps-senate-agenda-after-rogues-and-mitch-mcconnell-cut-margin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4332","title":{"rendered":"Lindsey Graham’s sudden death could hamstring Trump’s Senate agenda \u2014 after rogues and Mitch McConnell cut margin"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

WASHINGTON \u2014\u00a0The tragic, sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham has left a void in the Senate and shrunk the GOP\u2019s majority in the upper chamber, while sparking a mad dash to fill his shoes.<\/p>\n

Read more Sick trolls mock \u2018gay\u2019 Sen. Lindsey Graham after his sudden death: \u2018Good riddance\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

Graham, 71, died from a \u201cbrief and sudden illness\u201d Saturday evening, the South Carolina senator\u2019s office revealed.<\/p>\n

His tragic passing means Republicans\u2019 edge in the Senate will slip down to 52-47 seats \u2014 but that\u2019s only on paper.<\/p>\n

There are ongoing concerns about the health of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), 84, who is currently hospitalized.<\/p>\n

There are also several Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and lame duck Sens Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who haven\u2019t been shy about splitting from the party recently \u2014 especially on the Iran war and other foreign policy issues.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) will have to tap a temporary replacement to serve out the remainder of Graham\u2019s term, and Republicans will have to name a successor to him on the powerful Senate Budget Committee. <\/p>\n

Because Graham was up for reelection and had just won his primary last month, a\u00a0special GOP primary\u00a0to replace him as the party\u2019s nominee i<\/span>n the Senate race is likely to occur by Aug. 11.<\/p>\n

Already, firebrand Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is \u201cstrongly\u201d considering tossing her hat in the ring to replace him. One name that was floated around was Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), who appeared to bat down rumors he might pursue it.<\/p>\n

\u201c[M]y goal is to remain in the House to keep his two-vote majority for the American people!!!\u201d he posted on X Sunday.<\/p>\n

Another possible contender is Lt. Gov.\u00a0Pamela\u00a0Evette (R). Trump initially backed her in the gubernatorial primary, before also endorsing Attorney General Alan Wilson (R), who\u00a0went on to win\u00a0the runoff.<\/p>\n

She had also been backed by McMaster in the primary.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have somebody that I think would be great. But I don\u2019t want to say it now because, you know, it\u2019s too soon with Lindsey,\u201d Trump told NBC News\u2019 \u201cMeet the Press\u201d Sunday about who might replace Graham.<\/p>\n

Beyond his Senate seat, Graham had been a key foreign policy luminary with deep connections to US allies all around the world and a leading voice in the Senate on those issues. <\/p>\n

Read more Netanyahu details \u2018final\u2019 conversation with Lindsey Graham, says senator challenged his push to end Israel aid<\/a><\/p>\n

He had met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a day before his sudden death. Graham was widely seen as the more prominent hawk in either chamber of Congress.<\/p>\n

Additionally, he had a record of working across the aisle. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe was able to deal with Democrats,\u201d Trump recalled of Graham. \u201cIf I had a problem, a real problem, I wouldn\u2019t often ask. But if I had a problem with a Democrat, he could work it out. He was a great politician, actually.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to be appreciated more now than he was when he was living, I think,\u201d the president later added.<\/p>\n

Throughout Trump\u2019s second term, Republicans have spent time worrying about their ultra-slim House majority, rather than the Senate, where Vice President JD Vance also serves as a tiebreaker.<\/p>\n

Prior to his death, Graham led the Senate Budget Committee, which was set to play a pivotal role in advancing a follow-up to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that would\u2019ve centered around President Trump\u2019s beefed-up defense budget request. <\/p>\n

Getting the follow-up bill was always an uphill battle for Republicans.<\/p>\n

One potential agenda item was the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE) America Act, which would require voters to show proof of citizenship to cast their ballots. <\/p>\n

Democrats had blocked that using the filibuster, but some Republicans eyed the budget reconciliation process \u2014 something Graham was set to lead \u2014 as a workaround to avoid the 60-vote requirement.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Trump had discussed the SAVE America Act with Graham on the phone, not long before his death.<\/p>\n

\u201c[H]e called and he said, \u2018We\u2019re all set for\u00a0the\u00a0Save America Act,’\u201d Trump said, without elaborating on what that meant. <\/p>\n

In addition to leading the Senate Budget Committee, Graham was also next in line to helm the Senate Judiciary Committee ahead of Chairman Chuck Grassley\u2019s (R-Iowa) expected move to take the reins of another committee. <\/p>\n

Read more Jannik Sinner defeats Alexander Zverev to win second straight Wimbledon title<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The tragic, sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham has left a void in the Senate and shrunk the GOP’s majority in the upper chamber, while sparking a mad dash to fill his shoes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4332","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"yoast_head":"\nLindsey Graham's sudden death could hamstring Trump's Senate agenda \u2014 after rogues and Mitch McConnell cut margin - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=4332\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lindsey Graham's sudden death could hamstring Trump's Senate agenda \u2014 after rogues and Mitch McConnell cut margin - Metro Transit Review\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The tragic, sudden death of Sen. 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