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Presidential Candidate Profile: Lindsey Graham

Liam Elliott December 17, 2015

Senator Lindsey Graham has made his own destiny. From growing up in the backroom of a pool hall-bar-liquor store combination, to raising his sister after his parents passed away within two years of each other, Senator Graham has created his own destiny and his own version of the American Dream. From being the first in his family to attend college, to being elected to the United States House of Representatives and then the United States Senate, Senator Graham has created a legacy of hard work and determination from a past fraught with death and tragedy.

Born in Central, South Carolina on Jul. 9, 1955, Senator Graham was born to Millie and Florence James Graham, who ran the pool hall-bar-liquor store that Graham would one day inherit. When he was 21, his mother died of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 52, and then 15 months later his father died of a heart attack at the age of 69. The death of both his parents prompted Senator Graham to step in to care for his then 13 year old sister, Darline, while also focusing on his studies.

When he started college at the University of South Carolina, he entered into the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). ROTC allowed him to continue attending the University of South Carolina as a means to get an education and still provide for his sister. He graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1977, and then graduated from the University of South Carolina Law School with a Juris Doctor in 1981.

When he graduated from law school, Senator Graham then enlisted in the United States Air Force as a continuation of his ROTC training and a dedication to service. Since he had completed law school, he enlisted in the Judge Advocate General Corps, “where he acted as a military prosecutor and a defense attorney. During his six years of active duty, [Senator Graham] served both stateside and in Europe and was involved in countless cases.” In 2015, Senator Graham officially retired from the Air Force at the rank of Colonel, after 33 years of service to his country. This helped to shape his current stance on national defense and security, two issues that he considers to be of the utmost priority for this nation to continue being the superpower it is.

Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1994, Senator Graham represented South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District. Of the four times he was reelected, he received at least 60% of the vote. Currently, Senator Graham is sitting comfortably in the polls with 0.3% of the polled people supporting him.

Lindsey Graham on Abortion