Statement from RJC National Chairman Senator Norm Coleman and CEO Matt Brooks on the Passing of Senator Lindsey Graham
Washington, D.C. — The Republican Jewish Coalition mourns the sudden passing of Senator Lindsey Graham, a great man, a true friend to the Jewish community, a lion of the US Senate for South Carolina, and an American patriot.
Senator Graham was a dear friend to the Republican Jewish Coalition. He spoke with our members at conferences and events on many occasions over the years, always with candor, wit, and a genuine warmth that stayed with everyone who met him. Reflecting once on how our community had rallied around him, he put it simply: "We are family." He meant it, and he proved it decade after decade. Senator Graham had a way of making you feel like you'd known him for years, whether it was your first conversation with him or your fiftieth. Just a few weeks ago, he took the time to brief our national Board of Directors personally; a gesture typical of a man who never stopped showing up for the people who mattered to him. Whatever the moment, whatever the political weather, we always knew we could count on Lindsey to stand with us. That kind of loyalty is rare in this town, and we felt it every time.
Lindsey Graham's story was the story of the American Dream. He was raised in the small mill town of Central, South Carolina, where his parents ran a modest bar, restaurant, liquor store, and pool hall with the family living in a single room behind the business. At 22, while still in college, he lost both his parents within fifteen months of each other and became the legal guardian of his 13-year-old sister, Darline. He put himself through law school, raised his sister, and served his country in the Air Force JAG Corps. From that humble beginning, he rose to the United States Senate, where he served the people of South Carolina for more than two decades. It is hard to imagine a life that better embodies the promise and opportunity of this country.
That journey shaped his unshakable belief that American strength is the foundation of global security. Lindsey Graham understood that when America leads with resolve and strength, the world is safer, our allies are more secure, and those who wish us harm think twice.
As Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he helped confirm a generation of conservative judges. As Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, he was a driving force behind major tax and spending legislation.
And especially thanks to his leadership as Chairman of the State Department appropriations subcommittee, Lindsey Graham had an unmatched record as a pro-Israel champion. He introduced the Taylor Force Act and anti-BDS legislation, led the fight to stop Obama’s Iran nuclear deal, and was a key backer of historic Trump administration breakthroughs: moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing the Golan Heights as part of Israel, and the Abraham Accords.
Senator Graham traveled to Israel dozens of times over the decades, including just fifteen days after the October 7thmassacre, guided by a simple axiom he repeated for years: "Israel's security is America's security."
On a personal level, Lindsey was a man of deep loyalty, humor, and heart. He treated everyone, ally or adversary, with warmth and respect, and he built friendships across the aisle that many said were impossible in today's Washington.
He, John McCain, and Joe Lieberman were an inseparable trio, and the best friends Israel and lovers of freedom ever had in the U.S. Senate. We are sure they are welcoming him at Heaven’s gate – but like all of us, thinking it tragic to join them now when he had so much more to accomplish here on earth.
Our community, our country, and the United States Senate are profoundly diminished by his passing. We extend our deepest condolences to his sister Darline, his staff, and all who loved him. May his memory be a blessing.
