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Lindsey Graham's Senate seat is staying in the family ... with his sister officially tapped to take over after the longtime South Carolina senator's sudden death.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced Monday that Darline Graham Nordone will serve out the remainder of her late brother's term ... just hours after President Donald Trump publicly threw his support behind the move, urging she be appointed to fill the vacancy.

Darline may be new to elected office, but she's no newcomer to Lindsey's political orbit. The mother of two was one of his closest advisers, regularly appeared in his campaign ads ... and during his 2015 presidential run, Lindsey even joked she'd be his first lady because he never married.

Margaret Cho isn't letting Lindsey Graham rest in peace ... ripping into him in a shocking TikTok video just hours after he died.

The controversial comedian posted a video to TikTok Sunday morning with the caption, "Bye gurl" -- though it's more of a "good riddance" than a "bon voyage."

In the clip, Margaret says goodbye to Lindsey several times ... before repeating an oft-repeated rumor that Graham was gay.

Mitch McConnell has shared the first photo of himself since he was hospitalized last month ... and he says he's been receiving treatment after a fall -- not a more serious medical issue.

The senator of Kentucky released the photo alongside a press release on Sunday ... in which he's sitting in a geriatric chair -- smiling alongside Elaine Chao.

In the release, McConnell says, "Surviving childhood polio meant spending my entire life with mobility challenges. They haven’t exactly gotten easier to manage with age. And last month, I took a fall which landed me in the hospital."

Donald Trump may not have reached a peace deal with Iran yet, but it seems he's putting an end to a different longstanding feud ... because his former fixer says they're reconciling.

Here's the deal ... on Sunday, the New York Times reported Trump met with Michael Cohen last summer at the prez's members-only golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

The pair shared a "brief yet significant conversation," the Times reports ... a huge step forward in what's been an icy relationship ever since Cohen testified against Trump during his 2024 criminal trial.

Lindsey Graham's died from a tear in his aorta ... this according to his longtime spokesperson.

Taylor Reidy -- Graham's communications director -- shared the news to X just moments ago ... writing the information comes from the Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia’s preliminary findings.

According to the preliminary exam, Graham died from "aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease."

Lindsey Graham was wheeled out on a gurney from his Washington D.C. home on Saturday night -- and EMS workers tried desperately to save his life.

TMZ DC obtained exclusive photos showing the South Carolina Republican senator being carted out of his residence while surrounded by Emergency Medical Service workers administering first aid.

In the pics, you can see Lindsey is in bad shape and appears to be intubated as the paramedics lift him into an ambulance. We're not sure what happened after the ambulance drove Lindsey off ... D.C. Fire and EMS Department wouldn't provide information, citing HIPAA laws.

Nancy Mace says she won't look to replace Lindsey Graham in the U.S. Senate short term ... but reports indicate she may run to replace him in November.

Here's the deal ... Mace appeared on CNN Sunday morning to discuss Graham's passing -- and, during the interview, she flat-out denied she wants to replace him on an interim basis.

Listen to the interview carefully ... Mace says she doesn't want the short-term job because Republicans can't afford to lose seats in the House of Representatives. She adds the next few weeks should be focused on grieving Graham.

Lindsey Graham's sudden death has shocked the political world ... not least of all because he was one of the most active members of the Senate -- something we experienced firsthand recently.

Remember ... our TMZ DC team caught up with the senator from South Carolina less than a month ago, and our cameraman Charlie chatted with him about Freedom 250 -- the UFC fight on the White House Lawn.

Of course, Senator Graham was a busy man ... and Charlie got him while on the move -- following along while the senator tackled several flights of stairs like they were NBD, chatting all the while.

United States Senator Lindsey Graham has died at the age of 71, his office announced late Saturday night.

The official social media page for senator Graham posted the statement on X, saying "On the evening of Saturday, July 11, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham passed away from a brief and sudden illness."

The statement continued ... "Senator Graham's family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period."

President Trump says he spoke with Lindsey Graham a few hours before the senator died -- and he thought Lindsey was just fine.

The commander-in-chief made the revelation to CNN's Jake Tapper during a Sunday morning phone interview in which Trump also said Lindsey indicated he was tired during their 6:30 PM call yesterday evening.

As you know, Lindsey died from a brief and sudden illness some time after his call with Trump, according to his staff. An exact cause of death has not been released.

Lindsey Graham died from a "brief and sudden illness" -- but now we're learning paramedics raced to his D.C. home after receving a 911 call.

CNN obtained dispatch audio from Broadcastify ... which revealed that Emergency Medical Service workers responded to Lindsey's D.C. address around 8:30 p.m. Saturday after they got a report of a person suffering from chest pains and cardian arrest.

The caller stated they were in Baltimore, Maryland, and on their way to Lindsey's residence, believing the front door was unlocked.

President Trump is paying tribute to Lindsey Graham after the South Carolina senator's unexpected death, calling him a "true American patriot."

In a Truth Social post, the commander-in-chief heaped praise on Graham -- one of his closest confidantes in Congress -- saying that the staunch Republican was "one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known."

Trump also said Lindsey will be "greatly missed" and that his untimely death was "so sad." Graham was 71.

Donald Trump's administration has taken a huge step in its fight against the "fake news" media ... issuing subpoenas to New York Times reporters who wrote about his plane swap in Turkey.

The newspaper reported the shocking development on Saturday, stating the Trump admin issued subpoenas to four reporters ... Julian E. Barnes, Eric Lipton, Tyler Pager and Eric Schmitt.

The four NYT employees collaborated on a story titled "Security Precaution Led Trump to Use Old Air Force One in Leaving Turkey," which was published on Wednesday.

JD Vance says his life is cake now that he's Vice President ... and he's determined not to turn into an "entitled asshole."

Check out the clip ... JD was on Mike Rowe's "The Way I Heard It" podcast Thursday, talking about all the changes in his life since becoming Veep ... and the advantages that come with being President Trump's No. 2.

JD says he doesn't have to cook or go to the grocery story ... because an army of people handle all the details.

Mitch McConnell was seen being loaded on a stretcher into an ambulance after paramedics responded to his Washington, DC home following a report of an unconscious person, according to a new video.

The footage, obtained by CNN from McConnell's neighbor, shows Emergency Service workers removing the Kentucky senator from his home on the stretcher and placing him into the back of the ambulance. The officials transporting McConnell did not appear to be moving with urgency.

At the end of the video, you can see a bare foot poking out from underneath what appears to be a blanket, but you never see McConnell's face.