Darline Graham Nordone Announces Bid for Full South Carolina Senate Term as Primary Contest Forms

Sen. Darline Graham Nordone announced she will run for a full six-year term in the U.S. Senate representing South Carolina. She made the decision public in an interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity, saying, “I have made a decision.

Nordone was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to fill the vacancy left by her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, who died July 11 at age 71 following an aortic dissection. She was sworn in July 14 and had been expected to serve only until January 2027.

President Trump met with Nordone in the Oval Office on July 16 and posted on Truth Social the next day that she has his “Complete and Total Endorsement” in the special election. “Darline, who comes from an absolutely incredible family, has been a WINNER all of her life,” the president wrote. A special Republican primary is set for August 11.

Rep. Ralph Norman launched a campaign over the weekend, and Rep. Russell Fry announced his bid Tuesday. Candidate filing opens July 21 and closes July 28.

She holds a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and has worked for nearly 30 years in state service, most recently on the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. She has not previously held elected office. A memorial service for Lindsey Graham will be held in Washington on July 28, followed by services the next day in Columbia and Pickens County, South Carolina.