Sen. Lindsey Graham dies; Alaska's senators mourn a colleague

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the Senate's most prominent and influential Republicans, has died suddenly of an aortic dissection. A close ally of President Trump and a leading voice on national security, he served in the Senate for more than two decades.

Alaska's senators, who served alongside him, were among those mourning. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who entered the Senate the same year as Graham, called him "my friend and a true leader for our country" and said it was hard to convey the loss of his leadership. Sen. Dan Sullivan called the death a shock, remembering Graham as "witty and wise, a true friend, and one of our nation's most important and influential U.S. Senators."

Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff through July 18 and recommended Graham's sister, Darline, to South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster as an interim replacement — a decision that now rests with the governor.