Darline Graham becomes SC's first female U.S. senator. Here's what to know
Darline Graham Nordone was sworn in Tuesday to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the sudden death of her brother, Lindsey Graham. She will serve roughly six months, becoming the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate.
Here are key takeaways:
- Trump threw his support behind Darline Graham for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination in a Truth Social post Friday, saying “there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey.”
- Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham to finish her brother’s term after speaking with her by phone Sunday morning, and Trump publicly recommended her in a Truth Social post calling it a “fabulous tribute” to her late brother.
- Darline Graham took the oath of office around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Senate chambers, escorted by Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, and sworn in by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
- Rep. Jim Clyburn noted that Graham, a 2009 graduate of South Carolina State University, becomes the first woman and the first HBCU graduate to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.
- Before entering the Senate, Graham served as commissioner on the South Carolina Commission for the Blind and worked as a business services and communications director at the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department. She had not previously held elected office.
- Her first vote came just before 3 p.m., a “yes” to end debate on a military funding bill. She pledged to continue her brother’s work, which included a bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Russia.
- Lindsey Graham died Saturday evening from an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a preliminary report from the medical examiner of the District of Columbia.
- A special primary election will be held Aug. 11 to determine who will replace Graham on the November ballot, with the winner facing Democratic nominee Annie Andrews. Graham’s term ends Jan. 3, 2027.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.