President Donald Trump has publicly recommended that South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appoint Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, to temporarily fill Graham's U.S. Senate seat. Graham died over the weekend at age 71 due to an aortic dissection, leaving his term set to expire in January.
Under South Carolina law, Governor McMaster has the authority to appoint a temporary replacement. This temporary appointee would serve until a special election is held. A special primary election is scheduled for August 11, with the filing period for candidates beginning on July 21. Any necessary runoff for the primary would take place on August 25. The winner of the Republican primary would then face Democrat Annie Andrews, who has already secured her party's nomination, in the general election on November 3.
Graham and his sister had a very close relationship, particularly after he adopted her following their parents' early deaths. Democrats had nominated Charleston pediatrician Annie Andrews, who had raised over $8 million for her campaign and had just under $3 million cash on hand at the end of May. Graham, who was seeking a fifth term, had raised $6 million, with just over $4 million on hand. The succession process has created a scramble, with several prominent South Carolina Republicans, including State Attorney General Alan Wilson, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Nancy Mace, and Ralph Norman, now reportedly eyeing Graham's seat.
However, there are potential issues with the timing of the special election process under federal law, which mandates that military and overseas ballots be sent out 45 days before any federal election. For the general election primary, this deadline would have been June 27. Federal Election Commission officials have not yet provided clarity on how this discrepancy will be resolved. The unusual timing makes it unlikely that a House member would be appointed for the temporary term, given the slim Republican majority in the House.
