Lindsey Graham
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South Carolina’s search for a Lindsey Graham’s successor moved quickly after the Republican senator’s sudden death, with Gov. Henry McMaster appointing Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, as a temporary Senate replacement while Republican candidates prepare for a fast special election fight.
Graham, 71, died late Saturday after preliminary findings pointed to an aortic dissection linked to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. His death created a US Senate vacancy in a deeply Republican state and opened a compressed contest to determine who will hold the seat for a full six-year term.
The vacancy has immediate consequences on Capitol Hill. Graham was one of South Carolina’s most influential political figures and a senior Republican voice on foreign policy, judiciary matters and party strategy. His death also arrives as the Republican Party faces a narrow Senate margin and a crowded state-level succession fight.
Lindsey Graham’s successor process moves quickly
Under South Carolina law, the governor first fills the Senate seat appointment on a temporary basis. McMaster selected Nordone to serve until the current term ends on Jan. 3, 2027. Nordone said she would finish her brother’s work in the Senate and support the priorities he carried for South Carolina and the United States. Her appointment gives Republicans continuity while voters decide the next South Carolina senator in November.
The political succession now shifts to the ballot. Republican candidates will have one week, from July 21 to July 28, to file for the special Republican primary. That primary is scheduled for Aug. 11. If no candidate wins a majority, a runoff will follow on Aug. 25.
The winner will advance to the Nov. 3 general election against Democrat Annie Andrews.
Graham had been seeking a fifth Senate term and had already won the South Carolina Republican Senate primary in early June with more than 56% of the vote. His sudden death left the party with little time to settle on a new nominee.
Republican field begins to take shape
Several Republicans are being discussed as possible contenders for the open seat. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette is among the names drawing early attention. She recently ran for governor and advanced to a runoff before losing to Attorney General Alan Wilson. Evette, the first woman to serve as South Carolina’s lieutenant governor, previously founded a payroll management business before entering politics.
Evette has received calls from Republicans urging her to enter the Senate race, though she said the political conversation had moved quickly after Graham’s death and that there would be time to consider next steps. South Carolina Republicans are also encouraging Rep. Russell Fry to run. Fry was elected to the House in 2022 and represents a reliably Republican district, which could give the party room to defend his House seat if he enters the Senate race.
President Donald Trump described Fry as “outstanding” when asked about possible Graham successors, though he did not make a formal endorsement. Rep. Nancy Mace has also been floated as a possible Lindsey Graham successor. Mace, who ended her House reelection path to run for governor, said she would at least consider a Senate bid. She previously ran against Graham in the 2014 Republican Senate primary and finished fifth. Mace became the first Republican woman elected to Congress from South Carolina and has built a national profile as a combative conservative voice.
Rep. Ralph Norman is another potential candidate. Norman said he is considering the race and asked Trump for an endorsement, though Trump told him it was too early. Norman finished third in the Republican gubernatorial primary and has represented South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District since 2017.
McMaster and Haley remain key names
McMaster himself could enter the race if he chose not to remain only the appointing authority. The governor has served since 2017, after Nikki Haley left the office to become US ambassador to the United Nations.
His term as governor ends in January, and he has deep roots in South Carolina republican politics. He previously served as state attorney general, lieutenant governor and state Republican Party chairman.
Haley’s name also surfaced quickly, given her national profile and previous role as South Carolina governor. But a spokesperson said she is not planning to run for Graham’s Senate seat and is not entertaining a campaign at this time.
Her decision removes one of the state’s best-known Republicans from immediate consideration, though the short filing window means the final field could still shift quickly.
What happens next in South Carolina
The question of who replaces Lindsey Graham now has both state and national significance. South Carolina remains strongly Republican, but a short special Senate election calendar can create unpredictable pressure inside the party.
The Henry McMaster appointee will serve temporarily while voters decide the long-term Senate seat appointment SC outcome through the special primary, possible runoff and November general election.
For now, Nordone’s appointment stabilizes the seat in the short term. The broader fight over Lindsey Graham’s successor is moving into a rapid campaign phase, with Republican contenders weighing whether to enter one of South Carolina’s most consequential Senate races in years.
This content was adapted from an article in CBS News