South Carolina Governor to Appoint Lindsey Graham’s Sister to U.S. Senate

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by WILL FOLKS

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South Carolina governor Henry McMaster is poised to appoint the late Lindsey Graham‘s sister as his interim replacement in the United States Senate – meaning she would serve as the Palmetto State’s first female U.S. senator over the next six months.

Sources familiar with McMaster’s thinking say he will appoint Darline Graham Nordone to the seat her brother held from January 2003 until late Saturday evening (July 11, 2026) – when he died suddenly of an “aortic dissection” at his residence in Washington, D.C.

Graham’s death – which is under investigation – has sparked a flurry of political machinating in his home state, as the question of who would succeed him (both now and at the conclusion of his current term) has hung in the air ever since the shocking news began to break in wide circulation early Sunday morning.

McMaster is set to answer the first part of that question at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Monday (July 13, 2026) at a press conference in the South Carolina State House. His choice was preempted, however, by a Truth Social post from U.S. president Donald Trump.

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“I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina,” Trump wrote on Monday morning. “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”

Nordone, 62, of Lexington, S.C., has been a key member of her brother’s “kitchen cabinet” for many years. Her potential selection as an interim replacement for Graham was first raised by FITSNews on Sunday.

The appointment of Nordone applies solely to the unexpired portion of Graham’s fourth, six-year term in the Senate – meaning she will fill his seat through January 3, 2027. Beyond that, a special primary election is currently in the works to determine who will represent the Republican Party on the ballot this November.

At the time of his death, Graham was the GOP nominee for the U.S. Senate seat he held – and was scheduled to face Democrat Annie Andrews, Libertarian Kasie Whitener, Constitution Party candidate Mark Hackett and several other independent candidates in the November 3, 2026 general election.

Now, Republicans will hold a special election on August 11, 2026 to choose a new nominee – with several high-profile contenders already signaling their intention to run. The winner of that race will have the inside track to become the state’s next senator – as no Democrat has won a U.S. Senate race in the Palmetto State since the late Fritz Hollings in 1998.

This is a developing story… please check back for updates.

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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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