Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after a 'brief and sudden illness,' his office says

Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after a 'brief and sudden illness,' his office says. [Page meta description: Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, died on Saturday after a “brief and unexpected illness,” his office said. He was 71.] Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, died on Saturday after a “brief and sudden” illness, his office said in a statement. He was 71. Graham was running for a fifth Senate term. He had been a close ally of President Donald Trump and a longtime hawk on Iran. As a member of the U.S. House in the 1990s, he backed policies aimed at isolating the country and limiting its missile and nuclear programs. He also cheered on Trump’s decision to strike nuclear sites last year and had been a supporter of the latest conflict that started a few months ago. The sparse statement by Graham’s office, which did not explain his death, comes during a stretch of concern about a lack of transparency about lawmakers’ health. Rep. Tom Kean Jr, a New Jersey Republican, was absent without explanation for months before returning to Congress and disclosing that he had been diagnosed with depression. Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, was hospitalized weeks ago for undisclosed health reasons. The Associated Press contributed to this report.