SEN. JOHN THUNE: America lost a patriot in Lindsey Graham. Republicans lost their glue
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With the tragic and sudden loss of Senator Lindsey Graham, America has lost one of its greatest patriots. I lost a dear friend. And the Republican Party has lost a champion.
Much will rightly be written about Lindsey’s powerful advocacy on behalf of freedom-loving people in the United States and around the world. No one believed more in America’s role in the world. In uniform and in Congress, Lindsey devoted her life to the mission of America as a unified force for good.
I had the good fortune to travel with Lindsey several times, and although she always had a lot of support for America’s hard power, she was also a big believer in the use of soft power (America providing economic, diplomatic, and political solutions to world problems).
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Lindsey was a statesman and will be mourned around the world. I think almost every living American president has taken advice from Lindsey Graham, whether they acknowledge it or not. Because of his undeniable influence on American foreign policy, heads of state came to respect his opinion and seek his counsel.
However, we will feel the deepest pain of this great loss here, at home and within the Republican Party. Lindsey was our glue. He spoke fluently to every corner of our large tent party, and for those of us who had the privilege of serving alongside him, we were happy to call him a friend first and a colleague second. Even in the most stressful situations, Lindsey was a master at making you laugh and put a smile on your face.
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If you were hosting a dinner with colleagues, Lindsey was the first person you called. It was always fun and never pretentious. To me, he was a loyal friend, a trusted advisor, and someone who looked for things as he saw them.
It was as transparent as possible; he never mince words or pull punches. He let you know when he was against you. He was your greatest ally when he was with you. And if his beliefs required him to stand on an island, he did that too. What you saw is what you got. For this he was respected.
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And when Lindsey sets her sights on a goal, be careful because nothing can stand in her way. His relentless work ethic paved the way for generations of conservative policy victories.
One doesn’t have to look very far to see Lindsey’s extraordinary contributions to our party and her outsized role in passing the Republican agenda.
In this Congress alone, he and his team on the Budget Committee shepherded three budget resolutions and two compromise bills through grueling all-night voting sessions. Never in modern history has the Senate voted this many times, and it would not have been possible without Lindsey’s persistence and determination. He and his team led our conference through incredibly risky, fraught negotiations and ground processes. And because of this, generations of Americans will have greater national, economic and financial security.
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But this was the leadership we knew we expected from Lindsey Graham. A former chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Lindsey was passionate about the rule of law and an independent judiciary. His impact on the judicial system will undeniably last for generations. After all, nearly every judicial candidate for the last 20 years has had to endure his questioning and work to win his support.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R.S.C., is seen in Kiev on July 10, one day before his death in Washington, D.C., on July 11. (Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)
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I am grateful for all that Lindsey has provided to America and Americans. His mark on history and his impact on the conservative movement will be well documented, but I will be equally, if not more, grateful for the mark he left on my life. Thank you for being a true and loyal friend, Lindsey, and thank you for always making me laugh.
Rest in peace my friend.
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