Gov. Henry McMaster Chooses Lindsey Graham’s Sister Darline to Fill Seat
President Donald Trump recommended that McMaster pick Graham’s beloved sister Darline.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster chooses the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister Darline Graham Nordone to fill his seat.
NOW – South Carolina Governor announces Lindsey Graham's Senate seat will be filled by his younger sister Darline — ETV pic.twitter.com/61xpTTy1oz
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 13, 2026
From WIS News 10:
Under South Carolina law, the governor is allowed to appoint a replacement to fill out the remainder of Graham’s term – which was set to expire in January.
Graham was also running for re-election at the time of his death.
A special primary will be held in August to determine who faces Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the November general election.
President Donald Trump recommended McMaster pick Darline.
“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 Truth Social. “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”
Lindsey and Darline lost both parents within 15 months of each other. Darline became an orphan at 13, while Lindsey was 22.
Lindsey immediately took in Darline. He adopted Darline so she could access his military benefits since he was a member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps:
After the deaths of their parents, Ms. Nordone moved in with an aunt and uncle as Mr. Graham continued his studies at the University of South Carolina. While other students would stay on campus having fun on the weekends, she once recalled, Mr. Graham would travel back to care for her.
He enlisted in the Air Force and became his sister’s legal guardian, allowing her to qualify for his military benefits. She credited him for making sure she finished high school and went to college.
Ms. Nordone went on to become a mother of two who worked to help people with disabilities find jobs. Mr. Graham took particular pride in her success.
“Of all the things that have happened in my life, her turning out so well is the highlight of it by far,” he told C-SPAN in 2015.
But Lindsey and Darline were always close:
The two grew up in a small room behind the Sanitary Cafe, an establishment on Main Street in Central, S.C., that their parents operated as a bar, liquor store and pool hall. Ms. Nordone recalled that even when their parents were alive, she ran to her brother when she was sick or needed help with homework. He taught her how to ride a bicycle, pushing it and then running beside shouting encouragement. He cared for her when she fell.
“He’s kind of like a brother, a father and a mother rolled into one,” she said in a 2015 interview with The New York Times. Ms. Nordone declined an interview Sunday, saying the loss of her brother, who died Saturday after what his office described as a “brief and sudden illness,” was still too raw.
My heart breaks for the entire family, but especially Darline.
"Darline" —
One of several TV spots over the years that featured Lindsey Graham's sister
Produced by Graham's longtime media consultant Scotty Howell pic.twitter.com/o1SFKcE7bd
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Comments
He was more than I ever knew
He only had 1.5 million in assets upon death
One of the few that didn’t enrich himself at our hands
And he loved the military, and all those contracts, one would think he would have gotten rich off them
You don’t know people, even if you think you do
You bring out a really interesting point. His net worth reflects what a single earner from a modest background, maintaining SC and DC homes, and investing in index funds would be expected to accumulate at that age. Our society has become so corrupt that even minor local politicians are expected to accumulate 10 figure net worths by their fifties.
Oops, 8 figure, hadn’t drunk my coffee
A touching gesture. She’ll be wrapping up things for her brother’s office but at least she and the staff will have a chance for closure.
For all the 💩 they take, it’s been my experience that there are some wonderful people working in the Capitol (as well as some people that should be fed through wood chippers, don’t get me wrong).
That’s nice and all, but maybe have someone fill in who has experience doing something.
Those “experienced” types having done all that well.
Meh, she’s a caretaker for less than 6 months and pretty much anyone selected for a caretaker role won’t be doing anything but what they’re told.
Politically the appointment is smart. Gets the Gov of SC off the hook of selecting a political figure or someone seeking the office. Now the special election doesn’t have his thumb on the scale. All the various SC GoP vested interests/factions gotta compete for the nomination to be on the Nov ballot and none of them have a ‘leg up’ or immediately benefit from the appointment.
Uhh, yea I think a lack of “experience” is a much better idea these days.
It’s not unusual to appoint a relative to fill an office for a short time when the holder dies.
It’s also not unusual for a relative to run for the office and hold it for many years to come. I haven’t heard whether Graham’s sister is even interested in that, but if she turned out to be this would be very precedented.
The comments on here some were surprised his sister was picked.. I’m not they were super close.. She’ll have a chance to straighten his office out. Prepare for the next incoming senator when there’s an election… she might surprise everyone the job she does
Props for appointing a caretaker and letting republican voters in the state pick his replacement on the ballot.
I just checked S Carolina law , and found that unlike some states (e.g. Georgia) where the appointed replacement would serve only until after the November election, and there would have to be a special election in November to serve the last two months of Graham’s term as well as a general election to fill the next term, in S Carolina there will be no special election, only the general election. The appointed replacement (the sister) will serve the rest of Graham’s term, and whoever is elected in November will take over only after that.
Oops, I forgot to close that anchor!
Nancy “attention Whore” Mace is already circling. She’s finished 5th in every election since her Rep position. Eject her
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