Housewife who inherited late brother's Senate seat announces run for full term

Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and one of President Donald Trump's closest allies in Congress, has announced she will run in the November midterm elections to seek a full Senate term after inheriting her brother's remaining time in office.

Nordone made the announcement in a Fox News interview Monday, saying she had "made a decision" and would enter the race.

Nordone is the younger sister of Graham, a staunch conservative senator widely regarded as Trump's chief advocate on Capitol Hill. After Graham died suddenly on July 12, she was appointed to complete his remaining term despite having no prior background in politics or public service. The arrangement has drawn "dynasty" criticism in the American press, with commentators questioning whether family ties alone should qualify someone for a Senate seat. Michael Kosta, a host of the comedy program "The Daily Show," mocked the succession as an "inheritance jackpot."

Within the Republican Party, there was little objection to Nordone taking over Graham's remaining term. Republicans hold 52 Senate seats to 48 for Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents — a margin of just four — so the party needed to move quickly to fill the vacancy and protect its slim majority.

Her decision to pursue a full term of her own, however, has divided opinion in political circles. Republican Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman have both signaled their intention to run for the Senate seat in November.

Underpinning Nordone's Senate ambitions is Trump's unconditional backing. After Graham's death, Trump used Truth Social to push for Nordone's appointment to the remaining term — and succeeded. On July 17, he posted "RUN, DARLINE, RUN!" and pledged his "Complete and Total Endorsement" should she enter the Republican primary.

Graham's home state of South Carolina is a solidly Republican "red state." No Democratic presidential candidate has carried it since Ronald Reagan in 1980, both senators and the governor are Republicans, and the GOP controls the state legislature. A Republican internal poll found that 77 percent of Republican primary voters view Trump favorably.

An Emerson College poll of South Carolina voters conducted July 14-15 found that among undecided voters — 18 percent of the total — 46 percent said they were likely to vote for whichever candidate Trump endorsed. With Trump firmly behind Nordone, her path to becoming South Carolina's next US senator appears clear.

Sensing that outcome, at least one sitting House member has already stepped aside. Rep. Nancy Mace, who had said she would run for the Senate seat, reversed course Monday, endorsing Nordone and announcing she would not enter the race.