His luck didn’t improve in law school, where he lived in highly disorderly apartments. During one date, his girlfriend Debbie accidentally sat on a stray peanut butter sandwich that stuck to her posterior and became campus gossip.
According to his official congressional biography, Graham became the first person in his extended family to attend college. He earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina.
Seated with fellow House managers and staffers, Lindsey Graham takes part in a strategy session as preparations continue for the Senate impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. The behind-the-scenes photograph offers a rare glimpse of the discussions taking place away from the public spotlight. | Source: Getty Images
He then compiled a distinguished 33-year military career, starting with over six years of active duty. From 1984 to 1988, he served overseas as an Air Force lawyer at Rhein-Main Air Force Base in Germany.
He later joined the South Carolina Air National Guard and served stateside as a Staff Judge Advocate during the first Gulf War. He eventually joined the Air Force Reserves, deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan during congressional breaks before retiring as a Colonel in 2015.
His political rise began in 1994 when he was elected to the House of Representatives as the first Republican from his district since 1877. He moved to the Senate in 2002 and became a legendary foreign policy hawk, entitlement reformer, and budget chairman.
With his right hand raised, Lindsey Graham takes the oath of office during a ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the Senate. The moment signaled his transition from the House of Representatives to a role that would shape the rest of his political career. | Source: Getty Images
When entering the crowded Republican primary field for his 2016 presidential bid, his bachelor status became a massive topic. If elected, he would have been the first single president since Grover Cleveland.
