What was Graham's impact on the GOP, US politics? Tell us. | Opinion
The late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died July 11 at the age of 71, left us with a real puzzle: how to describe his legacy as a powerful – and surprising – politician.
I've been curious about him, in part because he grew up in a pool hall in the tiny town of Central, South Carolina, not far from my home.
He seemed to me a pro-military, low-tax Republican in the mold of President Ronald Reagan.
But he also worked on climate change legislation with Democrats and wanted to widen the path toward citizenship for undocumented people.
Then there was the off-and-on relationship with President Donald Trump, whom Graham called a xenophobe and racist but later bonded with over golf outings.
While Graham dropped his immigration reform push, he held on to other stances, even though Trump has at various times abhorred them. Like military support for Ukraine and NATO.
What do you think of Lindsey Graham's legacy? Tell us below.
So, who was Graham? An old-school conservative who joined MAGA? A center-right Republican who was just trying to survive?
Or maybe he was something else? What's your take, USA TODAY readers? What's the legacy of this complex politician?
Tell us which of his policies you agreed with and which ones you didn't. Were you surprised at Graham's shifting relationship with Trump? What do you think was behind it? Was the relationship a good thing? Or a bad thing? And what other thoughts do you have on the late South Carolina senator's legacy?
Scroll down to submit your answers, or send us an email at forum@usatoday.com using the subject line "Forum Lindsey Graham." You can also leave us a voicemail at (202) 655-3923. We'll publish a collection of your responses, so we may reach out to you about yours.
Joel Burgess is a Voices editor for USA TODAY Opinion.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What was Graham's impact on the GOP, US politics? Tell us. | Opinion
Reporting by Joel Burgess, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 8:02 AM.