President Trump urged the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister to run for a full six-year term later this year after meeting with her in the Oval Office.
Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC), 62, assumed her brother’s seat on Tuesday — and Trump’s endorsement would likely ensure her victory in the Republican primary.
“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 U.S. 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.”
At Trump’s urging, South Carolina Republican Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday appointed Nordone to serve the remainder of Graham’s term, which ends on Jan. 3, 2027.
Nordone, a wife, mother of two and grandmother, is the first woman to represent South Carolina in the upper chamber.
She has pledged to focus on her late brother’s legislative priorities in the Senate and further Trump’s agenda during her time in office.
“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,” Nordone said earlier this week.
Nordone had never held public office before her Senate appointment.
Since 2019, Nordone has served as Commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind (SCCB), and prior to that she held roles with Clemson University, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce and the South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation for nearly 30 years, according to McMaster’s office.
“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,” Trump continued.
“RUN, DARLINE, RUN!”
A spokesperson for Nordone did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
