Lindsey Olin Graham is an American politician and attorney who has served as the senior United States Senator from South Carolina since 2003. A Republican, he previously represented South Carolina's 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. He is a key party leader and a vocal advocate for strong U.S.-Israel military ties and defense funding, known as a leading Republican voice on foreign policy and a foreign policy hawk. His stances include staunch support for Israel, military interventions such as the Iraq War and broader Middle East engagements, and consistent advocacy for military aid and spending.

Graham earned a BA in psychology in 1977 and a JD in 1981 from the University of South Carolina, later practicing law and serving as a city and county attorney in South Carolina. He served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of colonel and retiring from the Air Force Reserve in 2015 after over 30 years of service, including deployments to the Iraq War.

He has held key committee roles, including chairing the Senate Committee on the Judiciary from 2019 to 2021, where he currently serves as ranking member. He has also served as chair of the Senate Budget Committee and serves on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, making him a prominent figure on foreign policy, defense, judiciary, national security, and budget matters. His influence extends through this committee work, shaping U.S. policy on defense and international relations. He is also an honorary member of Vets for Freedom's board of advisors.

An influential voice within the Republican Party, Graham was a close ally of the late Senator John McCain, with whom he co-founded the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform bill, and has maintained close ties to multiple presidents. He initially criticized Donald Trump but later became a supporter, endorsing him in 2016 and playing a significant role in judicial confirmations during Trump's presidency. He ran unsuccessfully for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, emphasizing foreign policy expertise.

His career has been marked by high-profile controversies, including his defense of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, his post-2020 election calls to Georgia officials (which led to an investigation but no charges), and criticism for his close ties to foreign leaders such as Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman. He has also faced criticism for his positions on immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, and judicial nominations, as well as allegations of ethical lapses including undisclosed trips and lobbying influences, though no major convictions have resulted.

Born into a working-class family in South Carolina of Scots-Irish descent, Graham overcame personal tragedies, including the deaths of his parents in his early twenties, and helped raise his sister. A Southern Baptist Christian, he remains unmarried without children. His financial disclosures show a modest net worth derived primarily from his Senate salary and book royalties, with no major business interests.