Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, has advanced to a runoff election in the special primary race to fill her brother's vacant South Carolina Senate seat. Graham died unexpectedly on July 12 at the age of 71.
Graham Nordone garnered 32.56 percent of the vote in the crowded Republican primary field, falling short of an outright win. She will face Congressman Ralph Norman, who secured second place with 24.38 percent of the vote. The runoff election is scheduled for August 25.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster had appointed Graham Nordone to temporarily fill the remainder of her brother's Senate term until January 2027. However, she chose to seek a full term in the special election.
Donald Trump had publicly urged Graham Nordone to enter the race, stating on Truth Social that he personally asked her to run for the U.S. Senate. He described her as a "spectacular person" and "a true American patriot," ultimately giving her his "complete and total endorsement."
The primary field included two current members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Ralph Norman and Russell Fry, as well as former Governor Mark Sanford and businessman Mark Lynch. Graham Nordone positioned herself as a public servant rather than a career politician, highlighting traditional GOP values and Trump's endorsement.
Graham Nordone, who has never held elected office, previously worked in disability services and workforce development, serving as a commissioner on the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. Her parents ran a local bar and liquor store, and she and her brother shared a close relationship after he adopted her at age 13 following their parents' deaths. Senator Lindsey Graham won his last reelection in 2020 with 54 percent of the vote. Trump received 58 percent of the statewide vote in his 2024 campaign.
Annie Andrews, a doctor, won the Democratic primary for South Carolina's U.S. Senate seat in June.