Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Olin Graham (/ɡræm/ GRAM; born July 9, 1955) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from South Carolina, a seat he has held since 2003. A member of the Republican Party, he chaired the Senate Committee on the Judiciary from 2019 to 2021. Graham served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1993 to 1995 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

Born in Central, South Carolina, Graham earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina. Before entering politics, Graham served as a member of the Judge Advocate General's Corps in the U.S. Air Force from 1982 to 1988, working as a defense attorney and chief prosecutor in Europe. He later served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve while in Congress. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in 2014 and held the rank of colonel. He did not see combat action during his service. Graham worked as a lawyer in private practice before serving from 1993 to 1995 in the South Carolina House of Representatives and from 1995 to 2003 in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he represented South Carolina's 3rd congressional district. In 2002, Graham was elected to the U.S. Senate. He was reelected in 2008, 2014, and 2020.

A neoconservative, Graham is a war hawk and strong advocate for interventionist foreign policy. He was known for his willingness to work with Democrats on issues such as immigration reform, judicial nominations, and cap and trade. He ran for the Republican nomination in the 2016 U.S. presidential election but dropped out before the primaries began. Graham was a critic of the Tea Party movement, particularly over taxation and immigration, and an outspoken critic of Donald Trump's 2016 candidacy.

After a March 2017 meeting with Trump, Graham became a staunch ally of his, often issuing public statements in his defense and catching members of both parties by surprise. Commentators have noted that Graham’s public reconciliation with Trump coincided with his expanded influence on foreign policy, supporting military interventions, increased defense spending, and a more aggressive U.S. role abroad. Graham is running for reelection in 2026.