WASHINGTON — Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, said she will seek a full six-year term representing South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.
Nordone (R-SC), who was sworn in last week as an interim senator, discussed her decision after President Trump publicly urged her to enter the race, while also invoking the legacy of her brother, who died unexpectedly at 71.
“I’ve been praying a lot, talking to my family,” Nordone told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “I know I’m a hard worker.”
She said her brother’s commitment to South Carolina helped shape her decision. “He [Lindsey] cared about the people of this state. I’ve worked for almost 30 years for the people of this state,” she said. “I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it.”
Nordone then made her intentions clear: “I’ve made a decision,” she said. “I’m in.”
The filing period for the Republican nomination for South Carolina’s Senate seat opens Tuesday, leaving the newly appointed interim senator roughly a week to officially launch her campaign.
Her decision also comes ahead of her brother’s funeral on July 28, a service that was postponed because of the large number of world leaders and dignitaries expected to attend.
The South Carolina Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 11.
The late senator died abruptly on July 11 from heart complications and had been vying for another term in the Senate. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) promptly tapped Nordone for the seat in a placeholder capacity.
Initially, Nordone was seen as a placeholder for the role, and a handful of Republicans such as Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) and Ralph Norman (R-SC) began exploring a possible run for the seat. Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC) announced Monday he will enter the race — setting up a potential face-off with Trump’s choice.
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Trump publicly implored Nordone to go for the job — just days after McMaster chose her to serve out the final months of Graham’s current term.
“We have known each other for a long time — She is a spectacular person, and a true American Patriot,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week.
“During her visit, I asked Nordone, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the U.S. Senate in the Special Republican Primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. I hope Nordone does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey.”
Nordone’s full interview with Hannity is set to air at 9 p.m. ET Monday.
