President Donald Trump on Friday endorsed Sen. Darline Graham Nordone to run for a full term in November, in what could become a historic moment for the United States Senate. She was appointed last week by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to temporarily fill a seat vacated by her late brother, Lindsey Graham.
Graham Nordone, whose appointment also came as a suggestion from Trump, was sworn in on July 14 and subsequently visited the White House.
After that meeting, Trump urged her to join the Republican special primary scheduled for Aug. 11.
“During her visit, I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the U.S. Senate,” he wrote on Truth Social. “I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey.”
Graham Nordone, who has never held an elected office, will otherwise fill the seat until the winner is sworn in next January. If she did choose to run and win herself, she would become the first person in American history to succeed a sibling in the Senate.
She is considering Trump’s suggestion, according to the news platform Semafor, which cites sources close to the situation. Four people familiar with the matter also reportedly told the Associated Press that she had expressed interest in a potential campaign.
Republican leaders have been supportive about Graham Nordone’s first days in office, with National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott saying this week in a press conference that she “has been off to a remarkable start” and could be a “seriously good fit for the state.”
But her entrance into the political sphere could shake up the outcomes in what is already a closely watched midterm election as Republicans strive to keep their majority in the Senate.
The late Lindsey Graham was set to run for a fifth term in the Senate this fall and would have likely been a dependable win for Republicans. Now, they may face a crowded and les
