Washington — Sen. Darline Graham, appointed to complete the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s term, said Monday she will run for a full six-year term representing South Carolina, seeking to hold the seat her brother occupied for more than 20 years.
“I’ve made a decision,” Graham told Fox News. “I’m in.”
Lindsey Graham, who died July 11, had already won the Republican nomination in June as he pursued what would have been a fifth term in the U.S. Senate. His death triggered a special primary process to choose the GOP nominee for South Carolina’s Senate race. Republican candidates can file between July 21 and July 28, with an Aug. 11 primary set to determine who will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
Graham, 62, was sworn in last week after South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster selected her to serve the remainder of her brother’s term, which expires in early January. Though she has not previously held elected office, Graham built a career in disability services and most recently worked as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.
When she accepted the appointment, Graham said completing the term “is what Lindsey would have wanted,” adding that she intended to “honor him in this way.”
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
President Trump had publicly urged Graham to seek the seat for a full term, writing on Truth Social after meeting with her at the White House last week that she would have his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”
“I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey,” Mr. Trump said.
Speaking with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Graham said she had spent time weighing the decision carefully. “I have been praying a lot, talking to my family,” she said.
“I know I’m a hard worker. I learned that from Lindsey,” she said. “I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes. Absolutely.”
The president’s endorsement hasn’t stopped other Republicans from announcing their intention to run for the six-year term. Rep. Ralph Norman, who’s represented South Carolina in the House since 2017, announced a bid on Saturday. And Rep. Russell Fry, who was elected to the House in 2022, announced his candidacy on Monday.
If no candidate secures a majority of the vote in the special primary election, a runoff will be held on Aug. 25.
