Sen. Lindsey Graham remembered by Long Island political, religious leaders

Long Island’s political and religious leaders responded to the unexpected death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, announced early Sunday, with condolences and by calling attention to his foreign and domestic policies.

The longtime Republican South Carolina senator, known for his military hawkishness, was one of President Donald Trump’s fiercest defenders after being an early critic. Graham died Saturday night after what the Washington, D.C., medical examiner said was a rupture in his aorta. He was 71.

A Graham colleague in the Senate, Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), wrote on X that she was saddened by the death and "was proud to have worked with Lindsey" on a 2022 law they co-sponsored making it illegal for employers to force sexual harassment and assault victims to settle claims through arbitration.

In the House, Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino, of Bayport, wrote on X that Graham, an Air Force lawyer before and during his political career, "dedicated his life to serving our country, first in uniform and then for decades in Congress."

Republican Rep. Nick LaLota, of Amityville, wrote that he "admired [Graham’s] unwavering belief that America is safest when she is strong and that peace is secured through strength."

Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi, of Glen Cove, said in a statement that while he "strongly disagreed with Senator Graham on many issues," he "appreciated [Graham’s] strong support for Ukraine and opposition to Russia. ... His voice encouraging the president to stand up to Putin and support Ukraine will be missed."

At an unrelated event in Eisenhower Park on Sunday, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, said he’d met Graham on several occasions, calling him "one of the pillars in the senate. Bright, articulate. A great patriot."

Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) also offered condolences to Graham’s "family and loved ones" in a statement.

In 2015, Graham, then a presidential candidate, made an "overwhelming impression" on the congregation at The Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach during a campaign stop, recalled Rabbi Marc Schneier on Sunday.

"He was a champion of the U.S.-Israel alliance, a great patriot, a great statesman of our country," Schneier said, adding Graham dedicated a mezuzah on one of the synagogue's doorposts. His death was an "unspeakable loss," Schneier said.

Graham, a critic-turned-ally of Trump's, was known for his support for U.S. interventions abroad — from the invasion of Iraq to the recent war with Iran.

He also was a supporter of Ukraine, especially after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and visited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv just days before dying. Graham last week announced an agreement with the Trump administration to move forward with a new package of Russia sanctions.

The senator strongly supported Trump’s decision to wage the war against Iran in February, and defended the tentative June ceasefire, which critics worried could send billions of dollars to Iran.

Graham also was a strong ally to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who encouraged Trump to attack Iran. Graham’s position on the war in Gaza angered many in the Middle East, including U.S. allies who advocated for a diplomatic solution.

While running against Trump for the 2016 Republican presidential primary, Graham called Trump "unfit for office," a "demagogue" and a "race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot."

He would later say his friendship with the president was strengthened through playing golf together.

"Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, is dead!" Trump posted on social media on Sunday.

With AP