Senator Lindsey Graham has died.
The Republican from South Carolina has died at age 71 after a "brief and sudden illness."
NBC News says emergency personnel responded to a call for "cardiac arrest" at Graham's Capitol Hill home on Saturday night, and photographs showed paramedics carrying a person on a stretcher from Graham's home to an awaiting ambulance.
Rhode Island Senior Senator Jack Reed paid tribute to his Senate colleague.
“Lindsey could be polarizing, but he was willing to work across the aisle, sometimes at political risk, to advance policies he believed in, like the defense of Ukraine, or supporting highly-qualified judicial nominees from the other party.
“One day, we’d be fiercely debating the Iraq war and the next day he’d be the lone Republican on the floor sticking up for a judicial nominee from Rhode Island. And in both instances, he’d bring his same keen intellect, high-level energy, and effectiveness to bear.
“Because he was so often a surrogate on TV, people tend to have strong opinions about Lindsey Graham. But not everyone knows he was the first in his family to graduate from college or that he served in the Air Force Reserves while caring for his little sister as her guardian. It is fair to point out his political views seem to have evolved over time, but his commitment to South Carolina never wavered.”
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said Graham was a giant in the Senate and no one loved being a Senator more - or was more energetic. He says the Senate will be a lesser place without Graham.
(Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)
Photo: JIM WATSON / AFP / Getty Images