He has been in the Senate since 2003. 🇺🇸 He ran for president. He became one of Donald Trump’s closest allies. Lindsey Graham is one of the most durable politicians in America. This is the updated story.
Lindsey Graham Then 🌱
Lindsey Graham was born on July 9, 1955, in Central, South Carolina. His parents ran the Sanitary Cafe — a restaurant and bar that was a local gathering spot.
He grew up working in the family business. He learned hard work early. But tragedy struck when he was in his early 20s. Both of his parents died within 15 months of each other.
Graham became the legal guardian of his younger sister. He balanced family duties with school. He enrolled at the University of South Carolina. He earned a degree in psychology in 1977.
Then law school at the same university. He got his law degree in 1981. In 1982, he joined the Air Force as a JAG officer — a military lawyer.
He served as a defense attorney and then as the Air Force’s chief prosecutor in Europe. He stayed in the Air Force Reserve and the South Carolina Air National Guard for decades.
In 1992, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. In 1994, he won a seat in the U.S. House. He was the first Republican elected from his district since Reconstruction.
The Middle: Senator and Presidential Candidate 👑
In 2002, Graham ran for the U.S. Senate. Senator Strom Thurmond was retiring. Graham won with 54% of the vote. He took office in 2003.
In the Senate, he built a reputation as a hawk on national security. He supported military intervention. He opposed cuts to defense spending. He chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee from 2019 to 2021.
He also earned a reputation for bipartisanship. He worked with Democrats on immigration reform. He supported pathways to citizenship. That put him at odds with conservatives in his own party.
In June 2015, he announced his run for president. His campaign never gained traction. He polled near zero. He was excluded from the main debates. He dropped out in December 2015.
At first, Graham was a fierce critic of Donald Trump. He called Trump a “race-baiting xenophobic religious bigot.” But after Trump won, Graham changed course. He became one of Trump’s closest allies in the Senate.
Like Kevin McCarthy, Graham learned to navigate Trump’s Republican Party. Like Mike Pence, he faced a test of loyalty on January 6, 2021.
After the Capitol attack, Graham condemned Trump’s role. But when the House impeached Trump, Graham voted to acquit. He said Trump should run again in 2024.
In 2020, Graham won re-election. He beat Democrat Jaime Harrison, who raised a record amount of money. Graham survived.
Lindsey Graham Now 📈
Today, Lindsey Graham is 71 and still a U.S. Senator from South Carolina. He has served in the Senate for more than 22 years. He is the senior senator from his state.
He is up for re-election in 2026. He is running for a fifth term. He remains a favorite to win in deep-red South Carolina.
In recent years, he has focused on foreign policy. He is a strong supporter of Ukraine. He has pushed for tougher sanctions on Russia. In 2025, he co-sponsored a bipartisan sanctions bill targeting countries that buy Russian oil.
He is also vocal on abortion. In 2022, he proposed a federal ban on abortions after 15 weeks. The bill divided Republicans. Some said the issue should be left to the states.
He has never married. He has no children. He has said his sister’s family is his family. He is known for his sharp humor and his love of golf.
His net worth is estimated at around $2 million. It comes from his Senate salary and investments.
From a small-town cafe to the U.S. Senate. From a presidential candidate to Trump’s closest Senate ally. From a critic to a confidant.
Lindsey Graham has survived every political storm for more than 30 years — and he shows no sign of slowing down. 💪
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