Lindsey Graham, a Republican U.S. senator known as a "Trump confidant," died suddenly of cardiovascular disease, and his sister Darlene Graham Nordone will fill his seat.
Summarizing major media reports including AP and CNBC on the 14th (local time), South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster held a news conference at the Statehouse on the 13th and said Nordone would take over the remainder of Senator Graham's term, which had been set to end in January next year. It is an emergency measure to fill the vacancy created when Graham died suddenly on the 12th from aortic dissection. Nordone will be sworn in on the 14th and officially begin serving as an interim senator. AP said this is the first time in South Carolina's history that a woman has become a U.S. senator.
President Trump said on social media, "I recommended to Gov. Henry McMaster that Lindsey Graham's beloved sister, Darlene, be the great interim senator for South Carolina," adding, "This will be a beautiful tribute to Lindsey, who loved her deeply." Nordone also said at the news conference, "It is truly a great honor," and added, "Lindsey was always there for me, and now I will be there for him." Fighting back tears, Nordone added, "I miss him more than words can say, but I will get this done."
Nordone is a political newcomer with no political experience. After graduating from the College of Charleston and earning a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, Nordone has worked consistently as an optometrist. She also temporarily collaborated with several state agencies, including the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and the Department of Employment and Workforce. AP assessed that after losing their parents, Nordone grew up under the care of her brother, who became her legal guardian, and had long served as Graham's closest political aide, including appearing in campaign ads.
In political circles, there is an expectation that Nordone will not remain a mere rubber stamp but will substantively inherit the hard-line conservative political legacy her brother held. With Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell absent long-term due to health issues, Republicans hold a precarious majority of 51 seats. For the Trump administration, which urgently needs a support base in Congress, the single vote Nordone wields is critical. Political analysts predicted that, like Commissioner Graham, Nordone will actively defend the national agenda that President Trump is pursuing. There is also a strong possibility she will voice a clear political stance, such as backing the hard-line foreign policy her brother championed, during the legislative process.
With Nordone succeeding to Senator Graham's seat, the general election campaign in November has officially begun. Under South Carolina law, the Republican Party will begin candidate filing on the 21st, hold a special primary on the 11th of next month, and choose its nominee for the November general election. Federal election law requires that ballots be sent to military and overseas voters 45 days before an election, making the primary schedule tight. In particular, this South Carolina primary is reportedly being weighed by many prominent local conservatives, including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Rep. Ralph Norman. The Cook Political Report still rates the area as solidly Republican, but Democratic candidate Annie Andrews has built momentum by raising more than $8 million in campaign funds, heightening tension within the Republican Party.