Darline Graham Nordone
Lindsey Graham's sister, appointed interim US Senator for South Carolina by Governor Henry McMaster, the first woman to hold the seat.
Darline Graham Nordone, Lindsey Graham's sister, became South Carolina's junior US senator on 14 July 2026, sworn in after Governor Henry McMaster appointed her to serve out his term to January 2027.
Last refreshed: 26 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What happens to South Carolina's Senate seat when Nordone's term ends in January?
Timeline for Darline Graham Nordone
Held Trump's endorsement as interim senator and declared candidate
US Midterms 2026: Fry and Norman run, keep House seatsGraham's sister appointed to his seat
US Midterms 2026Background
Nordone became South Carolina's junior US senator on 14 July 2026, a day after Governor Henry McMaster appointed her to serve out her late brother Lindsey Graham's term. McMaster acted the same morning President Trump recommended her for the seat, following Graham's death on 11 July . She is the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate, and serves until 3 January 2027.
Born in Central, South Carolina, Nordone was orphaned as a teenager: their mother died of Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1976, and their father died fifteen months later. Lindsey, nine years older, became her legal guardian before joining the Air Force. She later worked as public information director for the state's Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, and lives in Lexington with her husband, Larry Nordone.
Her appointment fills the Senate seat itself, not the Republican nomination Graham was seeking; she is not among the candidates in the 11 August special primary that will choose his party's permanent nominee .
