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by WILL FOLKS
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As our media outlet exclusively predicted he would do earlier today, South Carolina governor Henry McMaster tapped the late United States senator Lindsey Graham‘s sister – Darline Graham Nordone – as his interim replacement in the upper chamber of the U.S. Congress.
“Lindsey took care of his little sister in years long departed,” McMaster said at a press conference held Monday afternoon (July 13, 2026) in the S.C. State House in downtown Columbia. “It’s my honor to ask his little sister, Darline Graham, to finish his work for him now.”
McMaster said he called Nordone in the “wee hours of Sunday morning” – shortly after her brother died suddenly of an apparent “aortic dissection” at his residence in Washington, D.C.
Nordone “agreed to serve through tears,” McMaster said.
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“I had wondered what you would say, and I was humbled by your quickness to see the duty that you had to serve,” McMaster said, adding that he called U.S. president Donald Trump shortly thereafter and he “thought it was a great idea.”
Trump, incidentally, preempted McMaster’s announcement via a Truth Social post earlier in the day urging the governor to pick Nordone – whom he referred to as Graham’s “wonderful sister.”
“This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!” Trump wrote.
“I know Lindsey was loved and respected by many,” Nordone said. “And I greatly appreciate the memories and even the funny stories that have been shared. These shared experiences – along with our faith – have gotten us through these past two very difficult days.”
“I want to thank the governor for selecting me to serve the remainder of Lindsey’s term,” Nordone added. “It is such an honor. Lindsey has always been there for me, and now, I will be there for him.”
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? @LindseyGrahamSC
— FITSNews (@fitsnews) July 13, 2026
U.S. senator Darline Graham Nordone: "I want to thank the governor for selecting me to serve the remainder of Lindsey's term. Lindsey has always been there for me, and now, I will be there for him." #SCPolitics pic.twitter.com/ZzONCbYXZr
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McMaster’s appointment means Nordone will hold this seat until January 3, 2027, which is when the winner of the November 2026 general election will be sworn in. Speaking of that election, officials with the S.C. Election Commission (SCVotes) formally announced dates on Monday for a special election to replace Graham on the Republican ballot this fall.
As we reported yesterday, candidate filing for this special partisan primary election will open at 12:00 p.m. EDT next Tuesday (July 21, 2026) and close at the same time the following Tuesday (July 28, 2026). The special primary itself will be held on August 11, 2026 – with early voting scheduled from 8:30 a.m – 5:00 p.m. EDT between August 5-7, 2026.
If no candidate receives a majority of votes on the first ballot, a special head-to-head runoff election between the top two vote-getters would be held on August 25, 2026, with early voting scheduled for August 19-21.
SCVotes’ commissioners are reportedly still debating whether the primary will be open to voters who participated in last month’s Democrat primary or runoff. Initial indications were that the election would be open to all registered voters, however that decision has not been finalized – and sources familiar with the situation say there is significant disagreement as to voter eligibility.
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RELATED | SENATE SPECIAL ELECTION
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Who will run to replace Graham?
U.S. fifth district congressman Ralph Norman and first district congresswoman Nancy Mace are both expected to file for this seat. Norman and Mace previously ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination – finishing third and fifth, respectively, in last month’s GOP primary election.
Upstate businessman Mark Lynch, who ran against Graham last month, has already announced his intention to file in the upcoming special primary.
“A lot of you have asked. Yes, it’s official,” Lynch wrote on X shortly after McMaster’s press conference on Monday. “I’m committed to finish what God has called us to since February of 2025 – to bring the U.S. Senate seat of South Carolina back to TRUE Conservative leadership for the Republican party.”
Lynch finished a distant second to Graham on June 9, receiving 134,360 votes (or 28.89% of all ballots cast).
Lynch, Mace and Norman likely won’t be the only candidates to file for this seat. Sources familiar with the situation tell FITSNews the White House is eagerly courting seventh district congressman Russell Fry to run in the special primary, with the promise of a Trump endorsement should he jump into the race.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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1 comment
So this is good DEI?
“Lindsey has always been there for me, and now, I will be there for him”
Uh, I think you’re supposed to be there for the citizens of SC…