Mitch McConnell Admits He’s ‘Shocked’ by His ‘Good Friend’ Lindsey Graham’s Death: ‘Great American’

Mitch McConnell is reflecting on the passing of fellow senator Lindsey Graham.

“Lindsey Graham was a good friend and a great American, and I was shocked and saddened by his passing,” the senator from Kentucky, 84, shared in a statement on X Sunday, July 12. “His constituents and colleagues have counted on his straight talk, conviction, and boundless appetite for a worthy fight.”

“The Senate will miss him, and Elaine and I are keeping his family in our prayers,” the statement concluded.

The two Republicans were allies in the Senate for over two decades, as McConnell has held his seat since 1985 and Graham has represented South Carolina since 2003.

Per a statement shared on Graham’s social media accounts on Sunday, the politician “passed away from a brief and sudden illness” in the evening on Saturday, July 11. Graham was 71 years old.

“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” the statement read.

As for Graham’s cause of death, Fox Carolina reported on Sunday that the medical examiner’s preliminary findings were aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

“The death certificate will be PENDING until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized and at that point the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death,” the medical examiner said.

As for McConnell, he’s been dealing with his own health issues, as he revealed in a Sunday email to his constituents that “last month, I took a fall which landed me in the hospital,” per People.

“My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages,” McConnell penned. “But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I’ve also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia.”

However, McConnell assured his constituents, “I’ve been able to move from hospital care to a rehabilitation center where I’ll keep regaining my strength.”