Maryland lawmakers express condolences after sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham

Maryland lawmakers serving in the U.S. Congress expressed their condolences on Sunday after the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

Graham, a Republican, died on Saturday following a "brief and sudden illness," according to his office. He was 71 years old.

Republican Congressman Andy Harris, who represents Maryland in the House of Representatives, called Stewart a "true leader" and said his "selfless service to his country both in uniform and in Congress is much appreciated."

"My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, dedicated staff, and the people of South Carolina during this difficult time," Harris said. "Working with him on budget issues made it clear to me that he was a true leader in the fight to restore fiscal responsibility, and he will be sorely missed."

Graham died on Saturday evening, shortly after he returned from a trip to Ukraine. He was scheduled to appear on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday.

He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, followed by four terms in the U.S. Senate. Before his political career, Graham served in the United States Air Force.

Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who served with Graham in Congress for more than two decades, said that even though the two disagreed on many issues, they had always had "an open line of communication and honest conversation."

"Whenever possible, we worked together to find common ground, including our joint efforts to support our Syrian Kurdish partners and the SDF, who have been our main allies in the fight against ISIS," Van Hollen stated. "My heart goes out to Lindsey's loved ones during this difficult time."