Lindsey Graham
RepublicanU.S. Senator, SC| Age | 70 (b. 1955-07-09) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 1995-01-04 (~31 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White (Scots-Irish descent) |
| Religion | Christian (Southern Baptist); member of Corinth Baptist Church, Seneca, South Carolina |
| Education | B.A. in psychology, University of South Carolina (1977); J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law (1981) |
| Prior occupation | Attorney (private practice); U.S. Air Force JAG officer; Assistant County Attorney for Oconee County (1988-1992); City Attorney for Central, SC (1990-1994) |
| Military service | Yes: U.S. Air Force / Air Force Reserve / Air National Guard (Colonel) |
| Birthplace | Central, South Carolina |
| Marital status | Never married (single) |
| Children | 0 |
| Residence | Seneca, South Carolina |
| Notable relatives | Younger sister Darline Graham Nordone, whom Graham became legal guardian of and helped raise after both parents died when he was 21; no relatives in politics (no political dynasty) |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2002 |
| Previous offices | South Carolina House of Representatives (1993-1995) · U.S. House of Representatives, South Carolina's 3rd district (1995-2003) |
| Committees | Committee on the Budget (Chairman) · Committee on the Judiciary · Committee on Appropriations · Committee on Environment and Public Works |
| Leadership | Chair, Senate Budget Committee (2025-present) · Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee (2019-2021) · Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee (2023-2025) · Ranking Member, Senate Budget Committee (2021-2023) |
| Ideology | Conservative Republican with hawkish/neoconservative foreign-policy views; known for occasional bipartisan dealmaking (immigration 'Gang of Eight', 2022 gun-safety bill). Ranked among the more bipartisan senators by the Lugar Center Bipartisan Index. |
| Signature legislation | Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (20-week abortion ban, 2015) · Graham-Cassidy amendment to repeal/replace the Affordable Care Act (2017) · Bipartisan 'Gang of Eight' comprehensive immigration reform bill (2013) |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $308,044–$1,280,000 (2018) · estimate
No holdings recorded yet (from official Financial Disclosure filings).
Top industries: Lawyers/Law Firms · Securities & Investment · Retired · Real Estate · Republican/Conservative groups
Scandals & crimes ledger
resolved — FEC ADR 178: Campaign Finance Reporting Violations (Audit 03-21) business
An FEC audit of the Lindsey Graham for Senate committee's 2002 election-cycle reports found misstatements of financial activity, including overstated and understated receipts, disbursements, and cash-on-hand figures, as well as eight inter-committee transfers that were improperly or incompletely disclosed. The violations were cited under 2 U.S.C. § 434(b) and related FEC reporting regulations. The matter was resolved through the FEC's Alternative Dispute Resolution program in October 2004, with the committee paying a $10,000 penalty and filing amended reports.
resolved — Senate Ethics Committee Public Letter of Admonition for soliciting campaign donations in a federal building
On November 30, 2022, during a Fox News interview conducted in the Russell Senate Office Building, Graham made repeated on-air appeals (encouraging viewers to donate via the campaign website roughly five times in a four-minute interview) for Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker. Senate rules prohibit soliciting or receiving campaign contributions in federal buildings. Graham self-reported the conduct. On March 23, 2023, the Senate Select Committee on Ethics issued him a Public Letter of Admonition, stating his actions were contrary to Senate standards of conduct and resulted in harm to public trust and confidence in the Senate. This was a formal action by an official Senate body.