WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Senate Republicans returned to Washington on Monday with an uncertain agenda after the , a committee chairman and key player who served as a of President Donald Trump.
Graham, 71, died Saturday evening after a , according to a statement from his office Sunday. The shocking news came as another prominent Republican senator, former Republican leader Mitch McConnell, has been hospitalized for almost a month. McConnell Sunday, saying he was still recovering after suffering from pneumonia and falling in his home.
The continued absence of McConnell, R-Ky., and the surprise death of the South Carolina senator have shaken Republicans who were already and stalled on several priorities as they return from a two-week recess. And the reduced Republican numbers in the 53-47 Senate are sure to add confusion to what was already expected to be a chaotic and difficult few months before the November midterm elections.
Despite consolidated power in Washington, Republicans have been unable to move much of their legislation forward as the Senate, House and White House have disagreed on legislative priorities and as Trump has criticized Senate Republicans, in particular, for not passing his . Graham, who was one of Trump鈥檚 closest friends in the Senate, often served as a pivotal intermediary.
鈥淗e was a great 鈥� like a gauge, a temperature gauge of the Senate,鈥� Trump said of Graham on NBC鈥檚 鈥淢eet the Press鈥� on Sunday, noting he had talked to Graham on Saturday. 鈥淗e could go in and get something approved. He would just get people on his side.鈥�
As the Senate convened Monday, Graham’s desk was draped in black cloth and held a vase of white roses, as is customary when a senator dies in office. In his opening remarks, Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said 鈥渋t’s difficult to count the ways in which Lindsey’s friendship made this job richer and its burdens lighter.鈥�
Graham “was as loyal as they come and a trusted adviser,鈥� Thune said.
Republican priorities are stalled
The Senate left town two weeks ago after a rough few weeks for Republicans. Trump blocked senators from confirming , asked them to despite opposition and forced them to defend the even as they .
He also refused to sign a that had passed overwhelmingly in both chambers, arguing that they should pass his bill to require proof of citizenship, the SAVE America Act, instead. The housing bill became law Friday at midnight after he .
The alliance between Trump and Senate Republicans has also been weakened after the president endorsed the opponents of two Republican senators who had been reliable votes, John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. Cassidy challenged Trump directly on the Iran war in a Capitol meeting between Trump and Republicans just before they left town.
Senate鈥檚 agenda is uncertain
Republicans return to a number of important agenda items, including the confirmation of Trump鈥檚 pick for attorney general, , and the confirmation of , whom Trump selected to be director of national intelligence and later temporarily blocked. Both will testify in confirmation hearings this week.
Senate Republicans also must find a way to navigate Democratic opposition and Trump鈥檚 continued ire to keep the government open and prevent a government shutdown when the current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Graham was a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, as is McConnell.
Graham also sat on the Judiciary Committee that will consider Blanche鈥檚 nomination and is the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, which has been under pressure from House Republicans and Trump to move a budget package with increased defense spending for Iran.
There is also bipartisan legislation to move forward on a package of that Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut had announced on Friday after an agreement with the Trump administration.
Blumenthal told The Associated Press on Sunday that Graham was 鈥渁bsolutely focused on this moment鈥� as they announced the sanctions package after months of negotiations. He said he hopes Graham鈥檚 memory will inspire the Senate to move forward.
鈥淲e鈥檝e really reached this moment where all of the stars are aligned and we will be lacking Lindsey鈥檚 spectacular advocacy,鈥� Blumenthal said.
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., also urged passage of the sanctions bill as they spoke about Graham on the Senate floor Monday.
Graham鈥檚 death came after a trip to Ukraine
Senate leaders have not announced how they will honor Graham, who died after a tear in the inner wall of the aorta, called an aortic dissection, related to hardening of Graham鈥檚 arteries, according to his office. An official cause of death will be disclosed after toxicological and microscopic testing, his office said.
Graham, and former Air Force lawyer who served in Congress for more than three decades, had just returned from a trip to Ukraine. Thune said it was Graham’s 10th trip to the country, and he 鈥渄ied with his boots on.鈥�
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday appointed Graham鈥檚 sister, Darline Graham Nordone, as in the Senate. She will serve for the remainder of his term, which ends in January.
A special election will be held next month to pick a new Republican nominee in the general election for Graham鈥檚 seat. He had been seeking a fifth term this year.
Possible candidates include three Republicans who fell short for the party鈥檚 nomination for governor this year 鈥� Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. Also in the mix is Rep. Russell Fry, who was elected to the House in 2022.
McConnell not expected to return immediately
McConnell鈥檚 Sunday announcement revealed for the first time that a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking the silence about his condition after weeks of about his health.
The Kentucky Republican, who is retiring in January, said in a statement that he was 鈥渂riefly unconscious鈥� around the time he was first taken to the hospital in June and has undergone a battery of tests to try to determine what led to his fall. He said he was also treated for mild pneumonia and has been moved to a rehabilitation facility.
鈥淢y doctors have confirmed that I didn鈥檛 break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn鈥檛 have a heart attack or a stroke. I don鈥檛 have any tumors or hemorrhages,鈥� McConnell said, adding that he is now 鈥渞egaining my strength.鈥�
He said he cannot return to the Senate 鈥渜uite yet.鈥�
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
