Shortly after Lindsey Graham suddenly passed away at the age of 81, the late senator’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, was selected to serve in his Senate seat until the end of his final term.
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According to CNN, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster announced the appointment of Nordone on Monday. This was less than two days after Graham’s death was announced.
“Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him,” she stated during a news conference. “It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his 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.”
Nordone then shared, “To Lindsey, I miss you more than I can even put into words. But I’m going to do this. I got it.”
Governor McMaster also said that he had spoken to President Trump, who publicly announced his support of Nordone.
“I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina,” the president wrote on Truth Social before the appointment announcement. “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”
McMaster said Trump’s suggestion was a “great idea.”
Nordone responded to the Trump endorsement by telling the New York Post in a brief phone call, “Actually, I’m just kind of devastated right now.”
Since Graham is up for re-election this year, a special primary election will be held to fill his seat on the November 2026 ballot. The election is scheduled for August 11.
The Graham Siblings Were Close
Before her Senate appointment, Nordone served as a commissioner for the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.
She and Lindsey were notably close throughout their lives. Lindsey adopted his younger sister following the death of their parents. Nordone has been a key supporter of her older brother.
“Even when my parents were alive, they worked really long, hard hours running a small business. So even then, he was a caregiver to me,” she shared during a 2015 interview.
While running for president in 2016, Graham said his sister would have been his First Lady. He was unmarried.
“Well, I’ve got a sister. She could play that role if necessary,” he noted.