Trump Recommends Graham’s Sister to Fill His Senate Seat in South Carolina

President Donald Trump said Monday he has recommended that South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appoint Darline Graham Nordone — the late Senator Lindsey Graham’s sister — to fill his Senate seat until a successor is elected. Graham died Saturday at age 71 after an aortic dissection and had been seeking a fifth term.

Trump Pushes for Sister Appointment

Trump posted on social media Monday urging McMaster to name Graham Nordone to serve out the remainder of Graham’s term, which expires in January. McMaster was expected to announce his selection later Monday.

Graham and his sister shared an unusually close bond — after both parents died when they were young, Graham raised and later adopted her. Graham Nordone was at her brother’s side when he filed his reelection paperwork earlier this year.

A Crowded Field Eyes the Vacant Seat

Graham’s death has ignited a rapid scramble among South Carolina’s most ambitious Republicans, who view the seat as a major opportunity. The state’s GOP had just concluded a bruising gubernatorial primary in which Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, Representative Nancy Mace, and Representative Ralph Norman all fell short of the nomination, which was won by State Attorney General Alan Wilson. All three are now among those eyeing the Senate vacancy.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who previously lived in South Carolina, has fielded inquiries about potentially taking the seat but has no interest in the role and prefers to continue serving in the Trump administration, according to a person familiar with the conversations who requested anonymity.

Representative Russell Fry, a two-term Trump ally representing the area around Myrtle Beach, is also considered a potential candidate. Representative Joe Wilson said Sunday he assured Trump he intends to remain in the House to preserve the Republican majority there, effectively taking himself out of the running for the appointment, though not necessarily the full election.

Mace, who is not seeking reelection to her House seat, is said to be considering the race according to a person with knowledge of her thinking.

How the Special Primary Works

Under South Carolina law, a one-week filing period for a special primary election begins on the second Tuesday after a senator’s death — in this case, July 21. The special primary would be held on the second Tuesday after the filing period closes, or August 11, with a potential runoff two weeks later on August 25.

That leaves any Republican nominee just over two months to campaign before the November 3 general election. The compressed timeline creates a complication under federal law, which requires military and overseas ballots to be distributed 45 days before any federal election — a deadline that would have fallen on June 27 for the general election primary. Federal Election Commission officials did not immediately clarify how this conflict would be resolved.

Whoever McMaster appoints as interim senator is expected to be a top contender in the special primary, though the governor could also choose to install a caretaker with no electoral ambitions.

Graham’s Democratic Opponent Remains in the Race

No Democrat has won a South Carolina Senate seat in decades, and Republicans have typically won statewide races by double-digit margins. Graham defeated his 2020 Democratic opponent Jaime Harrison by 10 points. Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews won the Democratic nomination last month and had raised more than $8 million, with just under $3 million cash on hand at the end of May.

Andrews called Sunday for South Carolinians to set partisanship aside and express gratitude for Graham’s decades of service. Harrison said that despite political disagreements, he and Graham always maintained mutual respect.

Graham’s Senate Legacy

Graham served more than two decades in the Senate, accumulating the seniority needed to chair committees and shape the legislative agenda. His absence leaves a significant void — particularly on the Budget, Appropriations, and Judiciary committees where he held senior roles — at a moment when the Senate Republican caucus is already struggling with a thin majority and a stalled legislative agenda.

South Carolina’s junior senator, Tim Scott, who co-chaired Graham’s reelection campaign and has served since 2012, described his former colleague as “irreplaceable.” “America lost a statesman, but I lost a friend,” Scott told ABC’s This Week.