President Donald Trump revealed on Friday that he’s asked the late South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister to run for her brother’s Senate seat.
After Graham died on July 11 from an aortic dissection, his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, was tapped by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to temporarily take over his post.
In the days that passed, however, some began calling for Nordone to remain in the seat “permanently.” Trump joined that call on Friday.
“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,” he wrote on Truth Social after meeting with Graham’s sister late Friday.
“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,” he added.
🚨Just in: President Trump has officially endorsed Darline Graham Nordone in the South Carolina Republican Senate Primary Special Election on August 11th, 2026
She is the sister of the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham pic.twitter.com/ziUO0kbkGn
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) July 17, 2026
The president then revealed that during her visit, he’d asked her to run for her brother’s seat in the upcoming GOP primary scheduled for next month.
“I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey,” he insisted.
“Darline, who comes from an absolutely incredible family, has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement in the Special Election for U.S. Senate in South Carolina — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN. RUN, DARLINE, RUN! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” the president concluded.
Semafor reported earlier Friday morning that Nordone was eyeing the seat but warned that it wouldn’t be an easy capture.
“If Darline Graham runs, she’ll have to juggle Senate duties with a lightning-quick Aug. 11 Republican primary, and a potential runoff two weeks later if no candidate wins a majority,” according to Semafor.
Columbia, South Carolina station WCNC added that “[w]hile no one has officially announced a campaign [yet], political experts say the compressed timeline significantly narrows the field to candidates who already have established and recently active campaign organizations.”
Speaking with the station, South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick suggested that it’d be better if Nordone were to serve the remainder of her temporary term instead of seeking permanent status.
“She [won’t] have to look over her shoulder and campaign at the same time,” he said. “She can fill out the rest of the term, and Republicans here in South Carolina can sort out who we want to represent us for the next six years.”
JUST IN: Trump calls on Darline Graham Nordone to run in South Carolina’s special GOP primary, pledging his full endorsement.
She’s since surged to a 69% chance to win. pic.twitter.com/wgOoui4CZb
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) July 17, 2026
Meanwhile, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told CBS News that he’s excited about her permanently joining the Senate ranks.
“Darline has so far been off to a remarkable start,” he said. “Why not her?”
That said, her interest in running for a full term has surprised some, including McKissick.
“My understanding is that she told Governor [Henry] McMaster that she would accept the appointment to fill the rest of the term, not to be a candidate for it,” he reportedly said.
If Nordone does run, money might be an issue.
“Under federal rules, Lindsey Graham’s campaign would be limited to transferring just $2,000 to a potential Darline Graham candidacy,” according to PBS News.
The catch is that, according to former Federal Election Commission chairman Bradley A. Smith, there’s no limit on how much the National Republican Senatorial Committee could spend “in coordination with Darline’s campaign.”
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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