Who will replace Trump ally Lindsey Graham in the US Senate?

The Republican majority in the US Senate is likely to be short-lived after the death of Lindsey Graham. Currently, Republicans hold 52 seats in the 100-member chamber, having lost Graham to a "brief and sudden illness" late Saturday, according to his office.

South Carolina election laws give Republican Governor Henry McMaster the authority to immediately appoint a replacement to fill Graham’s seat. The law does not set a timeline, but the governor is likely to act quickly to avoid disrupting President Donald Trump’s agenda in the Senate. Graham was one of Trump’s closest allies on Capitol Hill.

Graham’s term was set to expire in January, and he was running for re-election in the November midterms. A primary will be held next month to determine the Republican nominee. The first round of voting is scheduled for August 11, with a possible run-off on August 25.

McMaster has not yet revealed his plans. He could appoint a placeholder who would not seek a full term, or someone who would run for the seat, giving them the advantage of incumbency. Other governors have faced similar choices; for example, California Governor Gavin Newsom has used both approaches in recent years.

President Trump has suggested he is considering backing a candidate. "I have somebody that I think would be great, but I don’t want to say it now because it’s just too soon with Lindsey," Trump told NBC News.

Polls had shown that Graham was not assured of re-election. His Democratic opponent, pediatrician Annie Andrews, was closing the gap. A June poll by Impact Research showed Graham leading by only three percentage points. Graham had become a polarizing figure even within the Republican base due to his strong support for Israel and the US war on Iran.

Andrews praised Graham on Sunday without mentioning politics. "I hope that South Carolinians will join me in setting partisanship aside and offering gratitude to Senator Lindsey Graham for his service to the great state of South Carolina," she said in a statement.