Darline Graham Nordone appointed to finish late Sen. Lindsey Graham's term
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South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster named disability-services commissioner Darline Graham Nordone to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, making her the state’s first woman senator.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham Nordone on July 13 to serve the remainder of Sen. Lindsey Graham’s term after the Republican lawmaker died on July 11. The appointment makes Graham Nordone the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate. She is expected to be sworn in on July 14 and will serve until Jan. 3, 2027, when the winner of the November election takes office.
Graham Nordone, a longtime disability-services professional, said she intends to continue her brother’s work, noting, "Lindsey has always been there for me, and I will be there for him." She described him as an "outstanding leader" who worked hard for the state and the nation.
The 58-year-old grew up in Central, South Carolina, after both parents died when she was a teenager. Her older brother, then a college student, became her legal guardian and later a U.S. Air Force lawyer. Graham Nordone earned a sociology degree from the College of Charleston, a master’s in rehabilitation counseling, and holds a public-manager certification. She has served as a commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, held senior roles in the state’s vocational rehabilitation department, and sits on the State Workforce Development Board.
Although she never held elected office, Graham Nordone appeared in her brother’s campaign ads and events, sharing personal stories about their upbringing. She now says, "It is such a privilege to finish some of his important work" and pledges to support the president and advance her brother’s initiatives for South Carolina and the United States.