President Trump has endorsed South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham's sister to temporarily fill his seat after his death, bypassing a parade of state Republicans eager to claim the position. The endorsement carries significant weight given Trump's tight alliance with Gov. Henry McMaster, who holds the power to make the appointment.
Trump announced his preference for Darline Graham Nordone on Truth Social, calling the move "a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly." The interim appointment would be largely ceremonial, allowing McMaster and Trump allies time to strategize before the state's GOP primary on August 11.
The timing of the endorsement reflects how closely Trump and McMaster work in tandem on South Carolina politics. One Trump adviser described the relationship bluntly: "McMaster listens to Trump and Trump listens to McMaster." That mutual trust has become critical as Republicans scramble to shore up Senate numbers in a narrower chamber.
Behind the scenes, Trump insiders are already positioning favored candidates for the primary race. Rep. Russell Fry has emerged as a frontrunner among Trump operatives, who cite his fundraising prowess and safe Republican House seat as reasons he could flip to the Senate without damaging GOP margins in the chamber. Rep. Joe Wilson, whose son is the state's Republican nominee for governor, has also surfaced as a possibility.
Rep. Nancy Mace, however, has triggered a furious response from Trump's political apparatus. Mace drew criticism after appearing to promote herself as a potential Graham replacement on social media the morning news of his death broke. Trump officials signaled they would unleash financial firepower against her if she advances to a runoff.
"If Mace ends up in a runoff, we'll drop $2 million on her head to keep her out," a top Trump operative told Axios. "All we want is a Republican who is sane and can work with the White House." Another official said Trump was already skeptical of Mace, but her timing on the announcement crossed a line. "Putting herself out as a candidate while everyone was absorbing the news of Lindsey's death was in poor taste, even for Mace," the official said.
Mace pushed back against the narrative, arguing she was being singled out unfairly. She noted that other Republicans, including Mark Lynch and Rep. Ralph Norman, had also announced their interest in replacing Graham within hours of his passing. "Two men announced they were running to replace Lindsey Graham yesterday, within hours of his passing. I wasn't one of them," Mace told Axios. She added that she found it amusing that critics were targeting her alone. "The pearl clutching by people afraid I will run hit a new high," she said.
The special election is scheduled for November 3, with the winner taking office in January. The interim appointment of Graham Nordone keeps the seat nominally filled while the primary field sorts itself out over the coming months.
Author James Rodriguez: "Mace just handed Trump operatives the exact narrative they needed to justify spending seven figures against her, whether she runs or not."
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