White House insiders revealed on Sunday which GOP Senator is likely to step up and fill the void left after Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-SC) shocking death on Saturday night, according to a new report.
Graham died suddenly on Saturday after a "brief and sudden illness," his office announced. Reports indicate that Graham experienced chest pains before going into cardiac arrest, and first responders performed CPR before transporting him from his Washington, D.C. residence to George Washington University Hospital around 9:30 p.m.
Trump administration insiders told Politico on Sunday that Graham's absence in the Senate will have an immediate impact on the administration's agenda. Graham had a knack for smoothing out Trump's often rocky relationship with both GOP leadership and Democrats. He was also a key figure in the Trump administration's domestic and foreign policy agendas.
“[Graham's] role in the Senate and his role as a liaison between the administration and the Senate and trusted confidant and adviser was colossal,” a White House official who spoke anonymously to Politico said. “It’s a devastating development. Everyone who touches the legislature and the administration is crushed.”
“Lindsey spoke Trump more [fluently] than anyone in the Senate,” a senior adviser to a Republican senator told the outlet.
Insiders also revealed who they think could replace Graham and become the next "Trump whisperer."
“He’s close with Rick Scott, but so few people like him,” a second White House official said. “I could see Katie Britt trying to fill that void.”