Optics are extremely important in politics and, like it or not,
there are some traits that political figures are expected, or at least preferred, to have. Much
like how almost every U.S. president has owned a dog in the White House, it's also arguably an
unspoken rule that major politicians be, well, married. According to the Washington Post, there
hasn't been a bachelor president in more than 100 years. So while not everyone has to be married,
it's pretty much the norm in Washington. And on that note, what's the deal with Lindsey Graham?
The South Carolina senator, who is single and has never been married - is currently fighting
hard to keep his seat. While recently taking the lead over his Democratic opponent Jaime Harrison,
according to FiveThirtyEight, Graham's victory in November 2020 is by no means a guarantee.
Would this longtime politician have an easier go if he were a family man?
Some of our nation's greatest leaders have also gained a savvy political
partner through their marriage - a queen on their chess board,
so to speak. Jill Biden and Kamala Harris' husband Doug Emhoff, for example,
have campaigned in different parts of the country ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
Although Graham has never tied the knot, he apparently did get close once! In a 2015 interview
with The Herald, Graham revealed that during his time at an Air Base in Germany from 1984 to 1988,
he found - and lost - love. He was a lawyer in the U.S. Air Force,
and she was a flight attendant for Lufthansa named Sylvia. Apparently,
Sylvia's roommate was also a flight attendant who ended up marrying Graham's roommate. Meanwhile,
sadly, the senator's "year-long courtship did not last," according to the publication.
Admitting that this was the closest he's ever come to marriage, Graham explained,
"Her mother was elderly, and I wasn't going to stay in Germany.
I didn't think she wanted to come back to South Carolina."
Beyond that, Graham has never issued an official statement on the romance.
Graham told Politico in 2015,
"At the end of the day, there's nothing wrong about not being married. Having a marriage and
a good family and children is a blessing. But I don't think I'm a defective person by any means."
Meanwhile, the late John McCain, who was friends with the senator, told the outlet,
"I know he's dated some attractive women from time to time, but
I've never seen him get real serious."
"At the end of the day it's not that I have foreclosed that possibility,
but I shouldn't have to explain that choice."
Graham is of course not, as he put it, "defective" for his singledom,
but it appears he'll have to continue fighting his political battles solo.
"And you know what, it's okay to be single."
Meanwhile, if the senator was ever a major party candidate, say, for president, there may still be
a female presence in the White House. When asked the, quote, "biggest unanswered question" about
him as he took a stab at the 2016 Republican primaries, Graham told The Daily Mail in 2015,
"Well, I've got a sister. She could play that role if necessary.
I've got a lot of friends. We'll have a rotating first lady."
That being said, according to The Daily Mail, it would probably be pretty difficult to pull off,
considering Graham's sister lives in their home state of South Carolina and, at the time,
was married with two daughters who were attending school. And that
"rotating" comment he made soon rotated out of control, leading to a flurry of
headlines and Graham assuring Politico soon after that it had only been a joke.
While Graham was perhaps kidding about a potential First Sister, the comment was revealing.
According to Politico, friends have said Graham's single status has a lot to do with his, quote,
"complicated family life."
It all stemmed from both of Graham's parents tragically passing away within 15 months,
back when his sister was a teenager and Graham was in college.
The politician returned home on the weekends to care for her, and even became her legal guardian.
Graham reportedly got emotional as he told Politico that she's "played a big role in
[his] life." While the senator may remain a bachelor, he's still clearly family oriented.
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