South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has appointed Darline Graham Nordone to temporarily serve in the U.S. Senate following the sudden death of her older brother, longtime Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The appointment comes just days after Graham died Saturday at age 71 from an aortic dissection caused by arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to preliminary findings from the District of Columbia medical examiner.
“Today, under the law, it’s my duty to and honor to name someone to serve in the place of this irresistible man, this irreplaceable man, this extraordinary man, for the remainder. remainder of his term,” McMaster, a Republican, said at a news conference.
“Lindsey took care of his little sister in years long departed. It’s my honor to ask his little sister Darline Graham to finish his work for him now.”
So, who is the woman now representing South Carolina in the Senate?
Lindsey Graham’s younger sister
Unlike her brother, Darline Graham Nordone has spent most of her life outside the political spotlight.
Nordone is Lindsey Graham’s younger sister. After both of their parents died about 15 months apart, Graham became her legal guardian while she was still a teenager. The senator often described their relationship as one of the defining parts of his life.
During Graham’s 2015 presidential campaign announcement, Nordone introduced her brother on stage, describing him as “kind of like a brother, a father and a mother rolled into one.”
Rather than pursuing elected office, Nordone built a career helping people with disabilities find employment and has largely remained out of public life. She is also the mother of two children.
Why was she appointed?
Under South Carolina law, the governor appoints a temporary replacement when a U.S. Senate seat becomes vacant.
President Donald Trump publicly urged McMaster to select Nordone, calling the appointment “a fabulous tribute” to the late senator. McMaster announced Monday that she would serve the remainder of Graham’s term, which expires in January 2027.
Although Nordone will immediately become South Carolina’s newest U.S. senator, voters will still decide who serves the next full six-year term.
Because Graham had already secured the Republican nomination before his death, state officials will hold a special Republican primary to choose a new nominee for November’s general election.
A historic appointment
Nordone becomes the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate. She is expected to be sworn in this week and serve through the end of her brother’s term.
Her appointment also marks an emotional continuation of a family story that began decades ago.
Lindsey Graham, who never married or had children, frequently spoke about helping raise his younger sister after their parents died. In a 2015 interview, he said she would make “a great representative of our country.”
