WASHINGTON — Darline Graham was sworn in Tuesday afternoon to fill the seat of her older brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., three days after he died unexpectedly.
She was sworn in to a standing ovation by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the Senate president pro tempore.
While her legal name since marriage is Darline Graham Nordone, a spokesperson said she will go by Darline Graham in the Senate. According to records, it is the first instance of a sibling being appointed to replace a deceased senator.
She was appointed one day earlier by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to finish her brother’s term, which was set to last until early January.
A day earlier, she called it “an honor,” and said: “Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him.”
Though Darline Graham was previously not a politician or public figure, she is expected to be a reliable vote for the Republican majority.
“She loves the country, and she would do what Lindsey would do,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said moments before she was officially sworn in Tuesday.
South Carolina Republicans are expected to hold a special primary election to pick a new nominee, who will face Democrat Annie Andrews in the general election for a full six-year term.
Republicans considering a run for the seat include Norman, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Rep. Nancy Mace, all of whom ran unsuccessfully for governor this year. It’s unclear if Darline Graham would want to run for her brother’s seat to serve a full term.
President Donald Trump supported Darline Graham’s appointment, saying Monday that it would be “a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly.” Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., also called her a “fantastic pick.”
Darline Graham, the only sibling of Lindsey Graham, grew up with her brother in small-town Central, South Carolina. Their mother died of cancer and their father died of a heart attack. Lindsey Graham, who was a college student in his early 20s, became his sister’s legal guardian when she was just 13 years old.
In a campaign video for her brother earlier this year, Darline Graham recounts the day she became an orphan, Lindsey Graham told her: “‘I am so sorry, but it’s OK. I’m going to take care of you.’ And he did. He’s always been there for me.”
Lindsey Graham legally adopted his sister after joining the Air Force so that she could receive military benefits.
“At first, the idea was a little odd, but I was like, no it makes perfect sense. And I just trusted his judgment. So I knew he was doing what he could to take care of me, and it was best for us,” Darline Graham told CNN in an interview in 2015.
Darline Graham has two daughters, 32 and 17. She has never held elected office and has been a largely private individual, occasionally joining her brother on the campaign trail or participating in video advertisements.
“Of all the things that have happened in my life, her turning out so well is the highlight of it by far,” Lindsey Graham said of his sister to C-SPAN in 2015.
