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2w ago

Trump Urges and Endorses Darline Graham to Run for Lindsey Graham’s Senate Seat

The president’s Oval Office push could reshape the rushed GOP primary by channeling party support and signaling elite backing.

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Sen. Darline Graham participates in a ceremonial swearing-in in the Old Senate Chamber at the US Capitol on July 14, in Washington, DC. Graham was appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster to fill one of South Carolina's Senate seats following the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham.
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Overview

  • Sen. Lindsey Graham died after a brief illness, and Gov. Henry McMaster appointed his sister Darline Graham Nordone to fill the Senate seat; she was sworn in on July 14 to serve until January.
  • President Trump met with Darline Graham and on July 17 publicly urged her to enter the special Republican primary and offered his “complete and total endorsement.”
  • Darline Graham has privately discussed running but has not declared a campaign and would have to launch quickly because the filing window opens July 21 and closes July 28.
  • The special GOP primary is set for August 11 with an August 25 runoff if no candidate wins a majority, and potential rivals include Reps. Russell Fry, Nancy Mace, Ralph Norman and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.
  • Federal rules limit direct transfers from Lindsey Graham’s campaign but allow party committees to provide coordinated support, a factor that could amplify Trump’s endorsement and affect fundraising and campaign strategy.