‘I’m In’: Darline Graham Nordone Says She’ll Run for Full Term in Late Brother Lindsey Graham’s Seat

Darline Graham Nordone—who was sworn in last week to temporarily replace her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, in Congress—said on Monday that she plans to run for a full term in his South Carolina seat.

“I feel like I can do it,” Nordone told Fox News’ Sean Hannity in a clip the network shared Monday on social media ahead of a full interview airing later in the evening. “Will it be difficult? Yes, absolutely.”

“So you’re inclined to get in—or, have you even made a final decision?” Hannity asked her.

“I’ve made a decision,” she replied.

“You’re in?” he asked.

“I’m in,” she said.

The news comes a little over a week after Lindsey Graham died of an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the preliminary findings from the Washington, D.C., medical examiner’s office. Days later, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Nordone to finish out her brother’s term in the Senate, which ends in January. The appointment came after President Donald Trump earlier in the day recommended that Nordone temporarily take over the vacant Senate seat.

After McMaster announced her appointment, Nordone called it a “privilege” to take over her brother’s role.

“It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the President and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States,” she said. “I think this is what Lindsey would have wanted, and I plan to honor him in this way.”

Then, on Friday, Trump gave Nordone his “Complete and Total Endorsement” to run for a full term.

“I asked Darline, for the Good of our Nation, to run for the U.S. Senate in the Special Republican Primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. I hope Darline does this, in that there would be nobody better to honor the legacy of her beloved brother, Lindsey,” Trump said in a Truth Social post. 

“Darline, who comes from an absolutely incredible family, has been a WINNER all of her life and, should she accept, has my Complete and Total Endorsement in the Special Election for U.S. Senate in South Carolina,” he continued. “SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN. RUN, DARLINE, RUN!”

Nordone, a mother of two who has worked for years in disabilities services and was a staunch and active supporter of her brother’s political career, had never before held elected office herself.

Soon after Fox News shared the interview clip in which Nordone announced that she planned to run for a full term, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas said in a post on X that he was "proud to join President Trump and endorse Darline Graham” in the Republican primary.