Stunned GOP Looks to Replace Graham After His Sudden Death

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Republicans begin the scramble to replace Senator Lindsey Graham following his sudden death. Plus, company expectations are sky high for this earning season, but can it last?

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Republicans are expected to move quickly to fill the seat of late Senator Lindsey Graham, the longtime South Carolina lawmaker who died late on Saturday at the age of 71 Preliminary findings by the District of Columbia medical examiner show that Senator Graham died of an aortic tear caused by cardiovascular disease. He had been in Kyiv on Friday to meet with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky before returning home to Washington.

Lindsey Graham (1:29)

I've never been more optimistic than I am today that we have the formula to end this war. Help Ukraine be more lethal.

Let those supporting Russia to know it's going to be a price to be paid if you keep doing it.

Donald Trump (1:44)

He said, I'm tired because it's a long trip.

Donald Trump (1:47)

But other than that, he was fine.

Daniel Bach (1:50)

President Trump told CNN's State of the Union that he spoke to Graham shortly before he died.

Donald Trump (1:54)

He was a great politician.

Donald Trump (1:56)

He was a natural, there are very few of him.

Donald Trump (1:58)

He was a natural politician, got along with everybody. When he didn't, he was very tough.

Alex Leary (2:03)

He was a tough cookie, too.

Vera Bergengruen (2:05)

But he got along with everybody.

Daniel Bach (2:08)

Journal White House reporter Alex Leary says Graham was known as a foreign policy hawk who was widely respected in Washington and after being a fierce critic of Trump, became one of the president's closest allies on Capitol Hill.

Alex Leary (2:20)

The loss of Senator Lindsey Graham is just a shock that settled over Washington.

He was not just a beloved figure among fellow lawmakers, including Democrats, who saw him as a folksy, smart, collegial person, even if they disagreed strenuously with some of his views on foreign policy. And his relation with President Trump will go down as one of the most interesting relationships of the Trump era, someone who really vehemently opposed Trump and became one of the closest friends and allies. When Trump was running for president in 2016, Graham was a fierce critic of him, saying that the Republican Party would be forever changed. And he continued to criticize him at times during Trump's first term, most notably during the aftermath of the January 6th ride at the Capitol by Trump supporters to overturn the election results. But they patched things up. Graham represented the foreign policy, hawkish views that traditional conservatives had. He was very consistent on that front for a long time. He was instrumental in advocating for the war with Iran, for example, a fierce defender of Israel. So a lot of ins and outs, contradictions, and sort of a fascinating political storyline between those two.

Daniel Bach (3:34)

His death narrowed Republican Senate majority, adding to the challenges the GOP faces in moving President Trump's agenda forward ahead of November's midterms. Alex says South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster can immediately appoint someone to serve out the rest of Graham's term.

Alex Leary (3:49)

Politically, in South Carolina, this is going to set off a certain free-for-all to replace Graham. The governor there can appoint someone temporarily, but there's a lot of ambitious younger Republicans in a very conservative state that are going to vie for this seat. So we now have another blockbuster election on our hands.

Daniel Bach (4:08)

Names floated for the short-term appointment for those who have expressed a personal interest in running in the primary include representatives Russell Frye, Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman, and Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evitt. Their representatives didn't immediately respond to requests for comment or couldn't immediately be reached. Because of the slim lead over Democrats, GOP House leaders have signaled they are wary of any House member leaving for a new post before the end of this Congress.