Trump urges Lindsey Graham’s sister to run for full Senate term

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump announced that he convened a meeting at the Oval Office with the newly designated Senator Darline Graham Nordone, urging her to contest the upcoming special Republican primary for a full term in the chamber.

Senator Nordone, a Republican representing South Carolina, is the sister of the late veteran lawmaker Lindsey Graham. The high-level political consultation comes immediately after the newly appointed South Carolina Senator, Darline Graham, was officially inducted into the upper chamber of the US legislature on Tuesday during a highly attended ceremony drawing extensive bipartisan presence.

The transition event saw attendance from virtually the entire Republican conference alongside several Democratic legislators. According to CNN, she briefly spoke to reporters after taking the oath, saying, “Hanging in there, appreciate you being here,” when asked how she was coping following her brother’s death.

Darline Graham Nordone, Lindsey Graham’s sister, is officially appointed to fill the late senator’s seat.

“Lindsay has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him,” Nordone said. “It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work.”… pic.twitter.com/VIWdty23Cd

— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 13, 2026

The formal administrative proceedings were overseen by veteran Senator Chuck Grassley, whilst lawmakers Katie Britt and Tim Scott escorted her to the main dais. Following the conclusion of the oath-taking ceremony, the Senate chamber gave her a standing ovation before she was led to her late brother’s desk.

High-profile figures inside the legislative chamber included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Jared Kushner, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, accompanied by numerous representatives from South Carolina’s congressional delegation.

The sudden political transition follows the passing of Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina and a close ally of President Donald Trump, who died over the weekend at the age of 71. A preliminary finding by the Washington, DC, medical examiner said he died following an aortic dissection.

In a statement shared on Truth Social following the legislative induction, the US President lauded the newly appointed legislator’s credentials and highlighted her familial connection to the former lawmaker.

“We have known each other for a long time — She is a spectacular person, and a true American Patriot. Lindsey was one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known, and his sister shares his deep love of our Country, and the State of South Carolina,” Trump said.

It was my Honor to welcome now Senator Darline Graham Nordone (The sister of the Late, Great Lindsey Graham!), from the Wonderful State of South Carolina, into the Oval Office. We have known each other for a long time — She is a spectacular person, and a true American Patriot.… pic.twitter.com/RaiLdILpTX

— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) July 17, 2026

The meeting underscores the administration’s active efforts to shape the electoral landscape in South Carolina ahead of the special election cycle triggered by the late senator’s passing.

Expanding on the discussions held during the White House consultation, the US President explicitly detailed his political appeal to Nordone to secure a full mandate in the legislature.

“During her visit, I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the US Senate in the Special Republican Primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honour the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey.”

Historical precedents indicate that Darline Graham is not the first family member to temporarily fill the Senate seat of a deceased relative. Throughout US history, governors have occasionally appointed spouses or close relatives to complete an unfinished Senate term.

Among the notable examples are Muriel Humphrey, who succeeded her husband, former Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and Hattie Caraway, who went on to become the first woman elected to the Senate in her own right after initially replacing her late husband.

With her appointment, Darline Graham now steps into one of the most high-profile political roles in South Carolina, carrying forward her brother’s Senate term while the state prepares to elect his long-term successor later this year. (ANI)