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South Carolina’s most active senator in stock trading: Lindsey Graham’s net worth revealed

South Carolina’s most active senator in stock trading: Lindsey Graham’s net worth revealed
Nemanja Curcic

Lindsey Graham is a senior American politician who has served as the United States Senator from South Carolina since 2003. A well-known Republican, he has consistently supported conservative values but occasionally compromised with Democrats. This article will explore Lindsey Graham’s net worth and how he has made it.

How rich is Lindsey Graham?

Graham earned a B.A. in psychology at the University of South Carolina and graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law with a J.D. Upon graduating, he started serving in the U.S. Air Force in 1982, first as a defense attorney and then as the Chief Prosecutor in Europe. Graham retired in 2015 as a Colonel after 33 years of service.

Still, Lindsey Graham’s main source of income is his salary as a politician, with additional contributions from his various investments in mutual funds and corporate bonds. His political career started in 1993 when he became a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 2nd district. He would be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1995. Since January 3, 2003, Graham has been serving as the Senator from South Carolina. 

Considering the net worth of some of his fellow senators from both the Democratic and the Republican parties, Lindsey Graham has acquired an average amount of wealth.

What is Lindsey Graham’s net worth?

OpenSecrets’ 2018 report showed that Lindsey Graham’s net worth was slightly below $1 million at $969,022. The Sun’s article from 2023 estimated Lindsey Graham’s net worth at $2 million. Graham’s 2023 financial disclosure form shows that his current net worth is somewhere between $309,000 and $1,385 million.

Disclaimer: Estimating a lawmaker’s net worth is challenging because disclosure forms do not mandate exact values. Instead, lawmakers report the value of their assets and liabilities within specified ranges. While we strive to accurately estimate net worth from filings, disclosure rules have shortcomings. Personal residences, certain personal property, and federal retirement accounts are often not reported. Large assets can be listed in broad categories like “Over $1 million” or “Over $50 million,” potentially worth much more. Additionally, most Members of Congress earn $174,000 annually, but this isn’t required to be disclosed.

How did Lindsey Graham make his money?

Lindsey Graham’s net worth has been built on a couple of sources:

  • Politician’s salary: Graham occupied the position of U.S. Representative from South Carolina from 1995 to 2003, which provided him with an annual salary that increased from $133,600 in 1995 to $154,700 in 2002. Furthermore, being a Senator since 2003 earns him $174,000 per year;
  • Investing: Lindsey Graham’s investing endeavors are mainly focused on mutual funds and corporate bonds. He also has multiple checking and savings accounts with the United States Senate Federal Credit Union and First Citizens.

Lindsey Graham’s investment portfolio

As a government official, Graham is obliged to disclose any significant investment he makes. By following his financial disclosures, we can make some rough estimates about his positions.

In fact, his 2023 annual report lists a significant amount in the following assets:

  • Vanguard Dividend Apprec Idx ETF (VIG) – between $50,001 and $100,000;
  • Dodge & Cox Stock (DODGX) – between $50,001 and $100,000;
  • T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth (TRBCX) – between $50,001 and $100,000;
  • Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Investor Shares (VWUSX) – between $50,001 and $100,000;
  • Homestead Value (HOVLX) – between $15,001 and $50,000;
  • Yacktman Fund (YACKX) – between $15,001 and $50,000;
  • iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (FLOT) – between $15,001 and $50,000;
  • iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF (TFLO) – between $15,001 and $50,000;
  • Dec 2025 Term Corp Ishares Ibonds ETF IRA (IBDQ) – between $15,001 and $50,000;
  • Invesco BulletShares 2025 Corporate Bond ETF (BSCP) – between $15,001 and $50,000;
  • Invesco BulletShares 2027 Corporate Bond ETF (BSCR) – between $15,001 and $50,000;
  • Wisdomtree Floating Rate Treasury Fund (USFR) – between $15,001 and $50,000.

Insider trading involvement

Lindsey Graham does not own individual stocks, instead focusing on mutual funds and corporate bonds. In fact, he was a co-sponsor of the bill for Senator Elizabeth Warren’s bill to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks in 2018.

Being a senator, Lindsey Graham’s financial activities are closely observed and subject to the STOCK Act, which forbids the use of insider information for private profit, including insider trading.

Who is Lindsey Graham?

Lindsey Olin Graham was born on July 9, 1955, in Central, South Carolina. Both his parents died within 15 months in his early 20s, leaving him as a legal guardian of his sister, who was 13 at the time. He has never married and has no children.

As a Republican U.S. Senator from South Carolina, he has advocated for strong military policies, probably influenced by his 33 years of service in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve. Before becoming a senator, Graham was in the South Carolina House of Representatives (1993-1995), followed by the U.S. House of Representatives (1995-2003).

Despite upholding conservative values, Graham has built a reputation for his bipartisan efforts on issues like immigration reform and judicial appointments. This would drastically change with the rise of Donald Trump. Initially a vocal critic of Trump, Graham would become one of his most staunch supporters.

Recommended video: Lindsey Graham gets booed during Trump South Carolina remarks

Lindsey Graham’s net worth – the bottom line

Lindsey Graham’s net worth is estimated to be between $309,000 and $1,385 million. Unlike some of his peers, he could technically be a millionaire, but he is still less wealthy than, e.g., Bernie Sanders, Chuck Schumer, Robert Menendez, and Marco Rubio.

Disclaimer: The content on this site should not be considered investment advice. Investing is speculative. When investing, your capital is at risk.

FAQs about Lindsey Graham net worth

How did Lindsey Graham get so rich?

Senator Lindsey Graham has built his net worth on his law practice, elected official salary, and, most importantly, investment portfolio. In fact, Graham has a strong portfolio of mutual funds investment.

Who is Lindsey Graham married to?

Lindsey Graham never married and he has no children. He has also denied being gay.

How long was Lindsey Graham in the military?

Lindsey Graham’s spent 33 years involved with the U.S. military, including two years while in Congress. He retired in 2015 as a colonel.

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