But on Monday, President Donald Trump and Senate GOP Leader John Thune joined forces and chose an unexpected person to finish out Graham’s Senate term—his sister.
“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!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Under state law, McMaster can appoint a temporary replacement to fill Graham’s now vacant seat.
But since Graham is up for re-election this year, his death will lead to a sprint primary election to replace him on the November ballot. McMaster will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. ET to announce his decision.
Trump said Monday he recommended to South Carolina’s governor that Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, be appointed to serve in the late lawmaker’s seat
“I’ll let the governor make an announcement about that, but that certainly in my view makes a lot of sense,” Thune said.
“In many respects, it would be a way of extending Lindsey’s legacy here and certainly something that, if that’s what they decide to end up doing, I think there’d be a lot of support for it,” Thune added.
“Even when my parents were alive, they worked really long, hard hours running a small business. So even then, he was a caregiver to me,” she said.
Thune told CNN’s Dana Bash shortly after Trump’s post that he had spoken with both Nordone and McMaster
The same year, the unmarried Graham was asked by the Daily Mail Online who would be his first lady.
She could play that role if necessary,” he said.
The two grew up in a single room behind the Sanitary Cafe — a bar, pool hall and liquor store their parents ran in Central, South Carolina. Advertisement
JUST IN: Senate Majority Leader @LeaderJohnThune tells @DanaBashCNN it "makes a lot of sense" for South Carolina Gov. McMaster to appoint Sen. Lindsey Graham's sister to serve as the interim senator. "It would be a way of extending Lindsey's legacy here." pic.twitter.com/KudZeQRTLp
— Inside Politics (@InsidePolitics) July 13, 2026
President Trump said the late Senator Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, should serve out his term for the South Carolina seat. https://t.co/K58BqmaGnQ
— Bloomberg (@business) July 13, 2026
Graham and his sister were close throughout their lives, his sister told CNN’s Dana Bash in a 2015 interview after her brother announced his bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination
Darline was orphaned in 1976 at age 13 after her parents died within 15 months of each other.
Graham became Darline’s legal guardian.
Darline told CNN in 2015 that she could tap into her brother’s military benefits. She said being adopted by her brother “was a little odd” at first, but she came to understand “it makes perfect sense.”
“Well, I’ve got a sister
“I knew he was doing what he could to take care of me, and it was best for us,” she said.
Another name that has been floated to replace Graham is Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina Republican governor and former U.N. ambassador in Trump’s first term. However, a spokesperson for Haley has told Bloomberg that she is not interested in running in the South Carolina Senate special election to replace Graham.
Haley, who ran for president in 2024 and has remained active in Republican circles, shared a warm public tribute to Graham on Instagram on Sunday shortly after news of his passing.
Graham joined the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and was the first in his family to go to college
There was never a day he stopped fighting for the people of our state. Through his military service and years in public office, he gave his all to protect America and our freedom-loving allies. He was truly one of a kind. Michael and I are lifting up Darline and his entire family in prayer during this difficult time.”
