Darline Graham Nordone was officially sworn in on Tuesday afternoon to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate, taking over the seat left vacant by the sudden passing of her brother, longtime Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, just three days prior. The late senator died unexpectedly on Saturday at age 71 after suffering a suspected aortic dissection.
During a poignant ceremony on the Senate floor, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley administered the oath of office as a bipartisan assembly of lawmakers, relatives, and staff members watched in the packed chamber. With her induction, Graham becomes the first woman to ever represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate; she will serve the remaining months of her brother’s term, which expires in January.
The transition follows an appointment on Monday by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. The governor’s decision was quickly endorsed by national and state Republicans, including Sen. Tim Scott, and President Donald Trump, who publicly backed the selection on social media, writing that “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”. Although Graham has not previously held public office and has worked primarily as an optician, she has worked in several public service roles, including with the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, the Department of Employment and Workforce and the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. She also served for years as one of her brother’s closest advisers and supporters after he helped raise her following the deaths of their parents.
During remarks surrounding her appointment, Graham pledged to honor her brother’s legacy, saying, “Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him.” She also called the appointment “such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work,” adding that she intends to support the administration while continuing the priorities her brother championed on behalf of South Carolina and the nation. The ceremony drew bipartisan attendance from senators, along with several senior Trump administration officials.
Because her brother was running for a fifth term in the Senate this year, South Carolina is preparing to hold a special primary election on August 11 to choose a new Republican nominee for the general election. Filing for candidates will open on July 21. In the interim, Graham—who will officially use her legal maiden name rather than her married name, Darline Graham Nordone, during her Senate service—has indicated she will focus entirely on continuing her brother’s legacy through the remainder of the congressional session.
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