In the tragic and sudden loss of Sen. Lindsey Graham, America has lost one of its greatest patriots. I have lost a dear friend. And the Republican Party has lost a champion.
Much will rightfully be written about Lindseys strong advocacy on behalf of the United States and freedom-loving people around the world. There was no bigger believer in Americas role in the world. In uniform and in Congress, Lindsey dedicated his life to the mission that America was a singular force for good.
I was blessed to travel with Lindsey on several occasions, and while there was always a lot made of his support for American hard power, he also was a big believer in the use of soft power â Americas economic, diplomatic, and political solutions to the worlds problems.
Lindsey was a statesman, and he will be mourned the world over. I expect that nearly every living American president has taken advice from Lindsey Graham, whether they care to admit it or not. Heads of state came to respect his opinion and seek his counsel because of his undeniable influence on American foreign policy.
But the most profound sting of this great loss will be felt here at home and within the Republican Party. Lindsey was our glue. He spoke fluently to every corner of our big-tent party, and to those of us who had the privilege of serving with him, we were blessed to call him a friend first and a colleague second. Even in the most stressful situations, Lindsey was adept at bringing out a laugh and putting a smile on your face.
If you were putting together a dinner of colleagues, Lindsey was the first person you called. He was always entertaining and never pretentious. To me, he was a loyal friend, a trusted adviser and someone who always called them as he saw them.
He was as transparent as they come â he never minced words or pulled punches. When he was against you, he let you know. When he was on your side, he was your greatest ally. And if his convictions demanded that he stand on an island, he did that too. What you saw was what you got. He was respected for it.
TRUMP PRAISES LINDSEY GRAHAM AS SENATOR WHOSE KAVANAUGH FIGHT CHANGED SUPREME COURT HISTORY
And when Lindsey set his sights on a goal, watch out â because nothing was going to stand in his way. His relentless work ethic paved the way for generations of conservative policy victories.
One doesnt need to look far to see Lindseys remarkable contributions to our party and his outsized role in passing the <a href="https://foxnews.com/politics/house-conservatives-derail-gop-agenda-save-america-act-showdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener n
