Darline Graham Nordone, sister of Lindsey Graham, chosen to fulfill remainder of his U.S. Senate term
Darline Graham Nordone has been appointed to serve the remainder of her late brother Lindsey Graham's U.S. Senate term. She will be the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate.
Why it matters
This appointment marks a significant political transition in South Carolina following the death of a long-serving senator.
Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, has been named as her late brother's temporary replacement in the U.S. Senate after his unexpected death over the weekend.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced at a news conference at the Statehouse on Monday (July 13, 2026) that Ms. Nordone would serve the remaining months on Graham's current term, which expires in January. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said afterward that she will be sworn in Tuesday (July 14, 2026) afternoon.
Ms. Nordone will be the first woman to represent the State in the Senate.
“It is such an honor,” she said, as dozens of Graham staffers and campaign advisers stood behind her, some with eyes glassy from welling tears. “Lindsey has always been there for me. And now, I will be there for him.”
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