Darline Graham Nordone, sister of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, has been chosen to fulfill the remainder of his term this calendar year by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster.
Nordone, expected to be sworn in on Wednesday, will be the first woman in the Senate from South Carolina.
Graham died Saturday night, two days after turning 71. The preliminary medical examiner’s report says he had a tear of the aorta; a cause of death will be forthcoming later.
“Lindsey has always been there for me,” she said at a Monday news conference. “And now, I will be there for him.”
It is unclear if she will pursue filing for the special election primary. Her choice was advocated for by second-term Republican President Donald Trump and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.
On social media, Scott wrote in part, “After speaking with Darline, there is no one better who understands Lindsey’s love for family, our state and our country.”
Nordone is the wife of Larry Nordone and has worked as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. She’s never held elected public office.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Sunday endorsed the plan for Nordone in conversation with McMaster.
Per state law, the filing period for the primary begins on July 21 – the second Tuesday after a candidate’s death. It will last one week, and two weeks later – Aug. 11 – the primary will be held. A possible runoff would be two weeks later, or Aug. 25.
The timing challenges federal law for military and overseas ballots to go out 45 days before an election.
Voters could get multiple choices in the special election primary. In addition to Nordone, it could include four members of the U.S. House of Representatives – Reps. Ralph Norman, Nancy Mace, Joe Wilson or Russell Fry. Then there’s Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, the choice of Trump in the gubernatorial primary last month that finished runner-up to state Attorney General Alan Wilson, son of Joe Wilson. And Mark Lynch was the distant primary runner-up to Graham.
Norman and Mace did not seek reelection to the House. Wilson and Fry are on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Nordone will become the third person in this seat for South Carolina since legendary Sen. Strom Thurmond won election in 1956. Graham followed him and in November was bidding for his fifth consecutive term.