Lindsey Graham, R.I.P.

It was shocking to see the news Sunday morning that Sen. Lindsey Graham had unexpectedly passed away. Initial autopsy results indicated that he suffered from an aortic dissection, the same medical emergency that killed my mother. 

Just hours before his death, Graham flew back to the United States from Ukraine and had made statements to the media about the war there. President Trump spoke with Graham when he returned to the country, and it may have been the last call the senator made. 

Tributes for Graham poured in from all over the world. President Trump praised Graham as “a dear friend” and “a truly great man.” Trump told “Meet The Press” that Graham’s passing is “a big blow to the Save America Act.”

Vice President J.D. Vance wrote on social media, “Lindsey Graham came from humble beginnings and became one of the most powerful lawmakers in the most powerful nation on Earth. His story was a fundamentally American one.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.”

Of course, many leftists celebrated Graham’s death. A Dallas imam who was invited by Democrats to deliver the opening prayer in the House of Representatives posted, “Bye, Lindsey. May you live an eternity in ruins for the ruins you helped create in Gaza.” 

Other leftists wrote “Good riddance” in response to the news of Graham’s death. One Hollywood actor wrote on social media, “I don’t see what the celebration is all about, there’s still 51 of em walking around.” In other words, he wants to see 51 more Republican senators die.

Defender Of Life

I knew Lindsey Graham for decades. He would often irritate conservatives, particularly when he reached out to Democrats to come up with compromises on the border and immigration. 

But he was a strong supporter of Israel and an advocate for a strong national defense. He tenaciously fought to get President Trump’s justices confirmed, particularly Justice Brett Kavanaugh. In fact, President Trump credits Lindsey Graham for saving Kavanaugh’s nomination. 

Graham was a leading advocate of the Save America Act. And, perhaps, most significant of all, he was an unwavering defender of the sanctity of life.

In 2000, during my effort to win the Republican presidential nomination, I tried to get a pledge from both then-Governor George W. Bush and then-Senator John McCain that if they were elected president, they would only appoint justices to the Supreme Court who would overturn Roe v. Wade. 

George Bush adamantly refused to make that commitment, saying he didn’t believe in “litmus tests.” 

When I met with McCain to try to get a pledge from him, he brought with him a junior congressman from South Carolina, Rep. Lindsey Graham, who was already known for his strong pro-life views. McCain told me, “I commit that I will nominate only pro-life justices to the Supreme Court, and Congressman Graham is a witness that I am making this pledge to you.”

Of course, McCain did not win the nomination, and the rest is history. But here’s a little more “history.”

In 2005, when President Bush had to fill an unexpected Supreme Court vacancy, we got evidence of why he wouldn’t make that pledge. He nominated his personal attorney, Harriet Miers, who had no record of being someone capable of serving on the Supreme Court. She also had no record of any interest in overturning Roe v. Wade. 

We stopped Miers’ nomination, causing President Bush to ultimately nominate one of the most conservative justices on the court, Samuel Alito. It was Justice Alito who authored the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

Rest in peace, Lindsey Graham. Please join Carol and me in praying for the Graham family in these difficult days ahead.

What’s Next?

Senator Graham was up for reelection this year, and his sudden passing has South Carolina Republicans scrambling to replace him. Moments ago, Gov. Henry McMaster named Darline Graham Nordone, Lindsey Graham’s sister, to fill the seat for the remainder of the year. Graham Nordone received President Trump’s endorsement this morning.

There will be a special primary election on August 11th for South Carolina Republicans to choose a new nominee who will appear on the November general election ballot. Unless there is a political earthquake, any Republican who wins in November will hold the seat for decades.

In related news, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson is expected to take over from Graham as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. 

Maine Mess

Democrats in Maine are also scrambling to find a new Senate nominee. Friday afternoon, Graham Platner submitted a formal notice to state election officials that he is officially out of the race. 

The Maine Democrat Party announced that it will hold a convention of 601 delegates on July 25th to pick a new nominee. The party has until July 27th to name its replacement. At least half a dozen candidates have either declared their intention to seek the nomination or expressed serious interest. 

I believe Democrats could nominate Hitler himself and be guaranteed at least 47% support in the polls. That’s how desperate Democrats and their left-wing Marxist allies are to dominate our lives.

America Last

Democrats often try to camouflage their radical open border ideology by insisting that they support deporting criminal illegal aliens. No, they don’t. 

As a reminder, the first bill President Trump signed into law during his second term in office was the Laken Riley Act. The law requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain criminal illegal aliens “arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, shoplifting, assault of a law enforcement officer, or any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury to another person.”

But 73% of House Democrats and 74% of Senate Democrats voted against this commonsense legislation. Some Democrats who supported it are now apologizing for their votes.

Here’s the latest outrage: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pardoned an illegal alien child rapist hoping to prevent his deportation from the country. This criminal alien should be at the front of the line to be deported! But Walz wants to keep him here.

Thankfully, Walz failed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio intervened, and federal immigration police deported this monster.

Remember this the next time you hear a Democrat claiming to support deporting criminal illegal aliens. They’re lying!

“Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Two years ago today, Donald Trump was struck by a bullet and almost assassinated during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Amid the chaos and confusion, Trump stood up, and with blood streaming down his face, he raised his fist into the air and yelled, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The image of President Trump on that stage at that moment is one of the most iconic photographs in American history. Some political observers say Donald Trump so inspired the nation that he essentially won the 2024 presidential election on July 13th.

Speaking on Fox News this morning, President Trump said, “God was with me.” I believe He was. And I pray that God will continue to keep His hand of protection on President Trump and the United States of America.