A medical examiner released the preliminary cause of death for Graham as an aortic dissection. He was 71. An aortic dissection is defined as the tearing of the inner layer of the aorta.
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Lindsey Graham through the years 2002: Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alex Sanders (R) and his Republican opponent, Representative Lindsey Graham, take part in a 'Meet the Press' debate on October 13, 2002, during a taping at the NBC studios in Washington, D.C. The two candidates are running for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican Senator Strom Thurmond in South Carolina. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2003: U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney (R) swears in Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) during a swearing in re-enactment January 7, 2003 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. This is the first day of the 108th Congress and members of the House of Representatives will be sworn in and leadership elections will be held. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2004: (L-R) Lee Ewing of Aerospace Daily, U.S. Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) attend the American News Women's Club 12th Annual Roast & Toast where Bob Schieffer received the 2004 ANWC Helen Thomas Award For Excellence in Journalism or Outstanding Public Service on April 14, 2004 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stephen Boitano/Getty Images) (Stephen J. Boitano/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2005: Samuel A. Alito (L) meets with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in his Senate office November 2, 2005 at the Capitol building in Washington, DC. President George W. Bush named Alito to replace departing Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2005: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (L) speaks as Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) reacts during a taping of NBC's "Meet the Press" at the NBC studios December 11, 2005 in Washington, DC. Albright and Graham spoke about the war in Iraq. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images for Meet the Press) (Alex Wong/Getty Images for Meet the Press)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2006: (L-R) Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) and member Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) confer while U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testifies during a hearing on Capitol Hill February 6, 2006 in Washington DC. The committee is hearing testimony on wartime executive power and the NSA's (National Security Agency) secret domestic surveillance program. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2006: U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) (R) talks with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) (2nd R), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) (2nd L) and Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) (L) before President Bush signed the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 into law on the South Lawn of the White House July 27, 2006 in Washington, DC. Despite a move by conservative House Republicans to force a delay in the routine reauthorization, the bill passed the House 390-33 and the Senate 98-0. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2006: Senator John McCain (R-AZ) (C) speaks at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol with (L-R), National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Senator John Warner (R-VA) on September 21, 2006 in Washington, D.C. During the press conference it was announced that McCain and other members of the U.S. Senate had reached an accord with the White House over the interrogation of detainees in the administration's war on terror. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2007: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during a press conference in the fortified Green Zone April 1, 2007 in Baghdad, Iraq. McCain is visiting Iraq with a group of U.S. Congressmen. (Photo by Sabah Arar-Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2010: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) pauses during a markup hearing for the Kagan confirmation before the Senate Judiciary Committee July 20, 2010 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee has voted 13-6, in favor of President Obama's nomination of Elena Kagan to become an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, to replace Justice John Paul Stevens who has retired on June 29, 2010. Sen. Graham has casted the only Republican vote for Kagan. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2015: Chief political correspondent Dana Bash (L) interviews Senator Lindsey Graham during CNN's Politics On Tap at Walnut Brewery on October 27, 2015 in Boulder, Colorado. 25763_001 (Photo by Jason Bahr/Getty Images for CNN) (Jason Bahr)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2015: Senator Lindsey Graham serves guests as part of CNN's Politics On Tap at Walnut Brewery on October 27, 2015, in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Jason Bahr/Getty Images for CNN) (Jason Bahr)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2018: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) touches the casket during the ceremony honoring the late US Senator John McCain inside the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, August 31, 2018, in Washington, DC. The late senator died on August 25 at the age of 81 after a long battle with brain cancer. He will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, a rare honor bestowed on only 31 people in the past 166 years. Sen. McCain will be buried at his final resting place at the U.S. Naval Academy on Sunday. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2021: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol January 7, 2021 in Washington, DC. Sen. Graham condemned the pro-Trump mob’s action of storming the Capitol the day before. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2021: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks on southern border security and illegal immigration, during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on July 30, 2021 in Washington, DC. Graham urged the Biden administration to name former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson as a border czar. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2022: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) attends a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on August 05, 2022 in Washington, DC. The group of Republican Senators held a press conference to speak out against the Democrats' tax and spending policies. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2023: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaks alongside Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) during a press conference on border security alongside Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) at the U.S. Capitol Building on September 27, 2023 in Washington, DC. Senate Republicans held a news conference to speak about the southern border and the need for more money for its security to be included in upcoming government funding legislation. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2024: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on July 31, 2024, in Washington, DC. Graham is introducing legislation to hold Iran accountable for Hezbollah's strike on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. Israel launched a deadly strike on a densely populated Beirut suburb in retaliation for the strike over the weekend. Lebanese officials said at least three civilians were killed and 74 others wounded. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2026: U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speak to the media aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, DC on January 04, 2026. Trump is returning to the White House after giving the order for the United States law enforcement to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2026: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on January 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. Graham announced the Senate had failed to reach an agreement on government funding as lawmakers continue to work to prevent a partial shutdown at midnight on Friday. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Lindsey Graham through the years 2026: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on April 27, 2026, in Washington, DC. Republican senators gathered to introduce legislation to fund construction of a White House ballroom as a secure alternative event space following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, DC Saturday night. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images) (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
Graham’s death leaves a significant void in the Senate, where seniority can determine influence.
President Donald Trump shared on Monday who he would like to see serve the remainder of Graham’s term. He says he recommended Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to McMaster.
President Donald Trump says he wants Lindsey Graham's sister to serve the remainder of Graham's term pic.twitter.com/Q9w0khuSAI
Back when Graham ran for president, Nordone joined her brother on the campaign trail, including at the Iowa State Fair.
When someone asked Graham who would serve as First Lady if he were elected president, he joked that his sister could serve the role.
Sen. Lindsey Graham and Darline Graham Nordone
Graham raised her when their parents both passed away.
The South Carolina Election Commission says candidate filing for the GOP primary will open next Tuesday. The primary will be Aug. 11, with the runoff two weeks later.
While this death was sad and certainly unexpected, it has created a generational opportunity for South Carolina Republicans who may not get another chance to run for U.S. Senate for many years. There will likely be major interest in the race. South Carolina Republicans said Graham will be hard to replace.
“Whether it was in the military. Whether it was a pro-life star for the cause. Whether it was in terms of keeping Americans safe, we think about national security issues, other issues that folks in the party cared about like judiciary, making sure we had good conservative judges within the judiciary,” said Drew McKissick, chair of the South Carolina Republican Party. “He played an incredible role with that, and that is a hole that is going to be difficult for someone to fill.”
Whoever wins the primary in August will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
The Associated Press reported on names going around as possible interim replacements or candidates to run for the seat.
They are:
Rep. Nancy Mace
Rep. Ralph Norman
Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.
Rep. Russell Fry
What’s next:
McMaster will appoint an interim senator.
Candidate filing opens on July 21.
The primary election will be on Aug. 11.
If no one gets 50% of the vote, there’ll be a runoff on Aug. 25.
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