Lindsey Graham’s Sister Named Interim Senator — She Accepted Through Tears

South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday appointed Darline Graham Nordone — sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) — to serve the remainder of her brother’s Senate term.

WATCH:

???? IT’S OFFICIAL: Lindsey Graham’s sister Darline Graham Nordone officially named interim US Senator from South Carolina after her brother’s passing

She just walked up to the podium to accept it ????????

“Lindsey has always been there for me. Now, I will be there for him.” pic.twitter.com/YA3YXbOycK

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 13, 2026

“Darline — little sister — come here please,” McMaster invited Nordone up to speak.

“First, I would like to thank everyone who has called and reached out over the past couple of days. I can’t tell you how much it’s meant to me and our family,” she said. “I know Lindsey was loved and respected by many and I greatly appreciate the memories and even the funny stories that have been shared. These shared experiences and our faith have gotten us through these two very difficult days.”

Thanking McMaster for selecting her to serve out the remainder of Graham’s term — “an honor” — she added, “Lindsey has always been there for me. Now, I will be there for him.”

Nordone’s name was first floated on Monday morning when President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he believed she would be the right person to fill the vacancy — and that appointing her would be a good way for McMaster to honor Graham’s legacy.

“I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina. This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!” the president wrote.

Following Trump’s recommendation, the odds on Kalshi that Nordone would be named Graham’s successor skyrocketed, leaping from 15% at 9:37 a.m. to 94.7% just 17 minutes later. The odds of her being appointed to fill her brother’s seat were at 97% by 2:00 p.m. The two names making up the remaining 3% were Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette (R-SC) and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC).

Indeed, Graham himself said in a 2015 interview that he could think of no one better to “represent” the people of the United States than his little sister. When asked at the beginning of his presidential run about being single, Graham joked that his sister could take on some of the roles typically handled by a first lady.

“If she took a role on she would be a great representative of our country. I can’t think of a better person to represent our country in an event than my sister,” he said at the time.

A number of others have voiced their support for Nordone’s potential appointment, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Senator Tim Scott (R-SC). Kevin Bishop, who served as communications director for the late South Carolina senator, also said that Nordone would be a great choice.

“I know Lindsey would be beaming with pride and appreciation if his sister was the one to fill the final few months of his term. He loved her dearly,” Bishop wrote. “Darline is accomplished in her own right. She has years of experience in state government leadership. She’s also a certified optician with a long record supporting government programs for the blind and workforce development.”

“I’ve known Darline for years. She’s a wonderful leader, mother, and grandmother. She’s a first-class person who would represent South Carolina with dignity and honor,” he added. “I could not think of a better or more fitting choice. I’m sure Governor McMaster will give her every consideration and greatly appreciate President Trump and his team for mentioning her as a possible replacement. I certainly hope this happens.”

President Trump is right that Darline Graham would be a great choice to fill the remainder of Lindsey’s term in the US Senate.

I know Lindsey would be beaming with pride and appreciation if his sister was the one to fill the final few months of his term. He loved her dearly.…

— Kevin Bishop (@KevinDBishop) July 13, 2026

Her appointment alone makes history, because once she is sworn in, Nordone will be the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.