South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has appointed Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to temporarily fill her brother’s Senate seat. The appointment comes two days after Sen. Graham died from aortic dissection and is intended to serve the remainder of his term, which concludes on Jan. 3.
Republican senators have voiced strong support for Nordone's appointment. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital that Nordone will "do a great job" and represent the same values as her brother. "She'll intuitively know how he would vote on particular issues," Marshall added, predicting she would be a "strong vote up here for us, a strong American first conservative for South Carolina."
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., stated that the country and the Senate must continue their work, calling McMaster’s choice "perfect." Former President Donald Trump, an ally of McMaster, also publicly endorsed Nordone for the interim role.
The appointment of Nordone, who was adopted by Lindsey Graham after their parents died and he became her legal guardian at age 13, restores the Republican majority to 53 seats in the Senate. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., noted the close bond between the siblings, describing Darline as "the light of his life."
Senators frequently reflected on Sen. Graham’s character and his ability to forge friendships across the aisle. "Lindsey’s the kind of guy that did so many good things for so many people over the decades that there’s probably 99 senators right now saying he was one of their best friends," Cramer said. Sen. Marshall echoed this sentiment, noting Graham’s "gift of hospitality."
A one-week filing period for a special primary election is set to begin on July 21, with the special primary election to follow on Aug. 11. If a runoff election is necessary, it would occur two weeks later, on Aug. 25. The nominee will then have two months to campaign for the general election on Nov. 3.
Nordone has not yet stated whether she intends to run for a full six-year term. However, Representatives Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., have reportedly begun preparations for potential campaigns.