South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham Nordone as the interim US Senator to fill the vacancy created by the death of her brother, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. The appointment was announced at a press conference at the South Carolina Statehouse on July 13.
Nordone, addressing the press conference, stated, "It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his (Graham) important work and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the President and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States."
Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, has been appointed to fill his vacant Senate seat until the first week of January. President Trump had named her as his preferred choice for the post https://t.co/JN0eFEE6kW pic.twitter.com/7AJTgnfg3d
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 14, 2026
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Darline Graham Nordone - President Donald Trump's preferred choice for the post - is expected to be sworn in as early as this week, allowing Majority Leader John Thune to maintain Republicans' 53-47 majority in the Senate, Reuters reported.
As stated by Governor McMaster, Nordone will serve only the remainder of Graham's current Senate term, which ends when the next Congress begins in January 2027. She will serve until January, when the winner of the special election will be sworn in.
The Governor's decision came after Senator Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly at the age of 71, prompting the need for an interim replacement under South Carolina law. Nordone, an optician, former South Carolina state agency employee and commissioner with the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, has largely remained out of electoral politics despite her long association with her brother's public life. She is expected to become the first woman to represent South Carolina in the US Senate, AP reported.
Before the Governor announced the appointment, President Trump publicly urged Governor Henry McMaster to appoint Darline Graham Nordone as the interim senator. Trump stated in a post that appointing her would be "a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly."
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott also supported the appointment and described Nordone as an appropriate temporary choice.
Political analysts say the appointment also prevents giving any one Republican candidate incumbency advantage ahead of the special primary because Nordone is expected serve only as a caretaker rather than seek a full term.
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