South Carolina Sets Aug. 11 Primary as Sister Sworn In to Finish Lindsey Graham's Term

Darline Graham Nordone took the oath of office Tuesday afternoon, becoming the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate. Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley administered the oath, according to the New York Post. She fills the seat left vacant by the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died Saturday, July 11, of what the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has said was an aortic dissection tied to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Nordone, 62, was appointed Monday by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a fellow Republican, after President Trump publicly recommended her for the job. "I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham's wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that it would be "a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly."

She is not running for the seat permanently. Nordone will serve only until a successor is sworn in on Jan. 3, 2027, according to the Daily Signal. Before her appointment, she spent nearly seven years as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, earning $138,000 a year, a salary below the pro-rated $174,000 she'll now draw as a senator, according to a state public-employee database cited by the New York Post. She also spent nearly three decades in roles at Clemson University and two state workforce agencies, and holds a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from South Carolina State University.

"It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States," Nordone said at a press conference following her appointment.

The race to replace him permanently

Because Graham was on the ballot for reelection when he died, South Carolina law triggers a snap process to pick a new nominee and, eventually, a new senator. Under Section 7-11-55 of the South Carolina Code, candidate filing opens the second Tuesday after a nominee's death and closes the following Tuesday. The South Carolina Election Commission confirmed in a July 13 statement that filing runs from July 21 to July 28, with a statewide special primary set for Aug. 11, according to the Daily Signal.

The field taking shape includes familiar South Carolina Republican names. Mark Lynch, who finished second in the earlier GOP primary with 28.9% of the vote, announced on X on July 13 that he's reentering the race, posting "The Fight Continues!" Reps. Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace have both been floated as possible candidates but have made no official announcement.

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette has been mentioned as well, but declined to say whether she's considering a run when asked directly by CBS News. "I was really a little bit saddened yesterday that so many people, instead of talking about the amazing work of the senator, we're talking about who is going to be next to follow," Evette said, adding she wants attention on Graham's legacy and on his sister rather than on speculation about a successor.

Former Gov. Nikki Haley has ruled herself out. A spokesperson told CBS News that while Haley "has been blessed to serve her state and country as Governor, UN Ambassador, and as a candidate for President, she has no plans to run for office at this time."

Family successions in Congress

Nordone's path to the Senate follows a pattern documented in Congressional history. The Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University has recorded eight instances of widows replacing their late husbands in the Senate and 39 in the House, according to the New York Post. Nordone's case differs in one key respect: she's a sibling, not a spouse, and Graham had no wife or children of his own. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) noted that dynamic directly, saying, "Lindsey basically worked himself to death, most of us have families, he didn't have any family."

Tuberville also disclosed new details about Graham's final hours, saying Graham called his scheduler complaining of chest pains rather than dialing 911 himself. "No, that's the reason I called you," Graham reportedly told her when asked if he'd called for help. First responders forced entry into his D.C. townhouse and were already working on him by the time the scheduler arrived, Tuberville said.

Lingering questions

The medical examiner's preliminary finding of aortic dissection has not stopped online speculation, some of it tied to Graham's recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a photo of Graham displayed at the late Iranian Supreme Leader's funeral with a target over his face. Trump dismissed the idea of foul play Tuesday, telling reporters, "I don't see a lot of evil there... I think the FBI is wasting their time if they're doing that." No agency has announced criminal charges or an active homicide investigation, and NBC News reported that the federal search of Graham's home was described by officials as an abundance-of-caution measure rather than evidence of wrongdoing.

The practical question now sits with South Carolina voters. Filing opens July 21, closes July 28, and the special primary lands Aug. 11, with the permanent successor not seated until January.