South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced Monday that Darline Graham Nordone will temporarily replace her late brother, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, following his unexpected death over the weekend.
Speaking at a news conference at the Statehouse, McMaster stated that Nordone will serve out the remaining months of Graham’s current term, which is set to expire in January. A person familiar with the appointment process, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly, indicated that Nordone will be sworn in on Wednesday. With this appointment, she becomes the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.
“It is such an honor,” Nordone said during the announcement, accompanied by dozens of Graham’s former staffers and campaign advisers. “Lindsey has always been there for me. And now, I will be there for him.”
Graham died Saturday night at the age of 71. A preliminary report from the medical examiner attributed his death to an aortic dissection, which is a tear in the aorta. Because Graham never married or had children, Nordone was his closest family member and frequently accompanied him throughout his political career, appearing in campaign advertisements and speaking at public events. Following the early deaths of their parents, Graham became his sister’s legal guardian and raised her.
“To Lindsey, I miss you more than I can even put into words,” Nordone said. “But I’m going to do this. I got it.”
McMaster noted that he and Nordone spoke in the early hours of Sunday morning, shortly after Graham’s passing, to discuss the appointment.
“I had wondered what you would say, and I was humbled by your quickness to see the duty that you had to serve,” McMaster told Nordone during the press conference. He also mentioned that President Donald Trump expressed support for the choice when informed of the decision. Trump publicly announced his backing for Nordone earlier on Monday.
Because Graham was seeking a fifth term this year, his death triggers a scramble among state conservatives ahead of the November general election. State law mandates a one-week filing period for a special primary election, which will open on July 21, the second Tuesday following the candidate’s death. The special primary election is scheduled for August 11, with any necessary runoffs taking place on August 25. The chosen Republican nominee will then have just over two months to campaign before the general election on November 3.
The timeline presents potential conflicts with federal law, which requires military and overseas ballots to be dispatched 45 days prior to a federal election. For this cycle, that deadline fell on June 27. Officials from the Federal Election Commission did not immediately respond to requests for clarification on how this process will be reconciled.
Political analysts note that a Democrat has not won a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina in decades. In his 2020 reelection bid, Graham defeated Democrat Jaime Harrison by 10 percentage points.
Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews, who secured the Democratic nomination last month, called on South Carolinians to set aside partisanship and offer gratitude for Graham’s decades of service. Harrison also released a statement noting that despite their political disagreements, he appreciated their mutual respect for the state and its institutions.
A variety of Republican figures are already being discussed as potential long-term contenders for the permanent seat. State Attorney General Alan Wilson recently won the Republican gubernatorial runoff against a field that included Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, Representative Nancy Mace, and Representative Ralph Norman. Evette, who is finished with her second term alongside McMaster, is considered a potential candidate for the primary. A source close to Evette stated she is receiving widespread encouragement to run.
It is considered unlikely that a sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives will be appointed to fill the temporary vacancy due to the slim Republican majority in that chamber. Representative Joe Wilson stated he assured Trump he intends to remain in the House to protect the party’s narrow majority. However, House members may still enter the primary for the full term.
Sources indicate that Mace, who is not seeking reelection to her current House seat, is considering a run. Other potential Republican candidates include two-term Representative Russell Fry, businessman Mark Lynch, and former Governor Mark Sanford.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was reportedly contacted regarding the seat but expressed no interest in leaving his current role in the Trump administration.
Graham’s death creates a significant gap in seniority for South Carolina’s congressional delegation. He served in the Senate for more than 20 years, holding influential committee leadership positions. South Carolina’s junior senator, Tim Scott, has served since 2012. Scott, who co-chaired Graham’s reelection campaign, called his late colleague irreplaceable, stating that America lost a statesman and he lost a friend.
READ: US Marshals Offer $5,000 Reward To Locate Virginia Murder Suspect
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
