Trump urges Lindsey Graham's sister Darline to run for full Senate term: 'There'd be nobody better'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump is urging Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen Lindsey Graham, to run for a full six-year Senate term this year, following a meeting with her in the Oval Office. Trump's endorsement would likely all but guarantee her victory in the Republican primary if she chooses to run.

Nordone, 62, was sworn in Tuesday, July 14, to assume her brother's seat, becoming the first woman to represent South Carolina in the US Senate.

A political newcomer with decades of state service

"We have known each other for a long time. She is a spectacular person, and a true American Patriot," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"During her visit, I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the US Senate in the Special Republican Primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey," the presdient added. 

On Monday, South Carolina’s Republican Governor Henry McMaster tapped Nordone to finish out her brother’s term after Trump pushed for her appointment. Her term lasts until January 3, 2027. 

Nordone isn’t a career politician; she’s a wife, mother of two, and grandmother, stepping into elected office for the first time.

Since 2019, she’s led the South Carolina Commission for the Blind. Before that, she spent close to 30 years working with Clemson University, the Department of Employment and Workforce, and the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation.

Nordone has said she intends to carry on her brother's legislative priorities while backing Trump's broader agenda.

"It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States," she said earlier this week.

Trump's full-throated endorsement

Trump's Truth Social post left little doubt about where he stands should Nordone decide to enter the special election.

"Darline, who comes from an absolutely incredible family, has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement in the Special Election for U.S. Senate in South Carolina — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN," he wrote, closing with, "RUN, DARLINE, RUN!"

The seat has been held by the Graham family name for decades, with Lindsey Graham first elected to the Senate in 2002 after a long congressional career. His death and his sister's subsequent appointment mark an unusual transition for the seat, and Trump's public push suggests the White House sees continuity in the Graham name as a political asset heading into the special election.