Lindsey Graham died of 'aortic dissection,' preliminary medical report says
Source: Washington Post
July 12, 2026 at 6:24 p.m. EDT
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) died suddenly on Saturday night at age 71, his office said, prompting tributes from President Donald Trump and lawmakers from both parties who recalled his record as a foreign policy hawk and deep friendships he forged during his three decades in Congress.
In a statement, Graham’s office said preliminary findings from the D.C. medical examiner’s office found that Graham suffered from an aortic dissection, in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the main artery. This was caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the statement said. These tears usually occur when there is high blood pressure.
A death certificate remains pending until all toxicological and microscopic tests are finalized, according to Graham’s office. “At that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death,” the statement said. Graham’s death narrows Republicans’ majority in the Senate, where they had held a 53-47 edge. He had been running for reelection this year.
Emergency medical responders worked to stabilize a man at Graham’s home on Saturday night and transport him to a hospital, according to witnesses and police scanner audio obtained by The Washington Post.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/07/12/lindsey-graham-longtime-south-carolina-senator-dies-71/
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Article updated.
Original article -
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) died suddenly on Saturday night, his office said, prompting tributes from President Donald Trump and lawmakers from both parties who recalled his record as a foreign policy hawk and deep friendships he forged during his three decades in Congress.
In a statement, Graham's office said preliminary findings from the D.C. medical examiner's office found that Graham suffered from an aortic dissection, in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the main artery. This was caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the statement said, which is when arteries became clogged and disrupt blood flow.
His office clarified that a death certificate remains pending until all toxicological and microscopic testing is finalized. "At that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death," his office said.
Graham's death, at 71, narrows Republicans' majority in the Senate, where they had held a 53-47 edge. He had been running for reelection this year. Emergency medical responders worked to stabilize a man at Graham's home on Saturday night and transport him to a hospital, according to witnesses and police scanner audio obtained by The Washington Post.
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