South Carolina Republicans are scrambling to organize a primary within one month to find a candidate to replace long-serving Senator Lindsey Graham, who died last Saturday at the age of 71.
As reported by The Guardian, the sudden death of the four-term Republican senator has left a significant political void in Washington and his home state, where his sister, Darline, has been sworn in to temporarily serve out his remaining term.
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Graham's Legacy and Local Reactions
The death of Graham has prompted widespread reflection from South Carolina residents, politicians, and analysts regarding his decades-long career and complex political legacy.
"He was our senator longer than I've been alive.
He served us in the legacy of the great Strom Thurmond and whether I liked the man or his politics hasn't got much to do with it.
He was truly great and his shoes are gonna be some big ones to fill," said Caleb Davis, an air force enlistment candidate.
Davis also addressed local rumors regarding Graham's personal life as a lifelong bachelor. "It definitely bothered people.
I remember my old supervisor would say Lindsey's gay and a lot people did. People would call him Lady Lindsey.
Of course, there's no doubt in my mind that he was a true man," remarked Davis.
Graham began his rise in politics during the 1994 "Republican Revolution" after serving as an Air Force judge advocate general, eventually taking over the Senate seat of Strom Thurmond in 2002.
