South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) on Monday appointed Darline Graham Nordone, the younger sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), to serve the remainder of her brother's Senate term.
"Lindsey took care of his little sister in years long departed.
It's my honor to ask his little sister, Darline Graham, to finish his work for him now," he said at a press conference in Columbia.
Ms. Nordone, who is expected to be sworn in this week, will serve in the upper chamber until January 2027 unless she decides to seek and win election to a full six-year term herself.
"It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States," she said.
Sen. Graham died suddenly on Saturday night at the age of 71 from an aortic dissection, in which a tear develops in the inner layer of the body's main artery.
President Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) both praised Ms. Nordone as the right choice to complete the term of her brother, who helped raise her after their parents died early in her childhood.
"I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham's wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina," President Trump said on social media ahead of the announcement. "This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!"
Sen. Thune told CNN he spoke to both Gov. McMaster and Ms. Nordone on Sunday and said her appointment would make "a lot of sense."
"I think, 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," he said.
Sen. Graham was seeking reelection in November, and Republicans will now hold a special primary on Aug. 11 to choose a new Senate nominee to face Democrat Annie Andrews in the general election.
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