President Donald Trump threw his support behind Sen. Darline Graham on Friday, endorsing the newly appointed South Carolina Republican for a full Senate term just days after her brother Lindsey Graham's sudden death.
"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," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that she has his "complete and total endorsement." The president framed her candidacy as a way to honor Lindsey Graham's legacy.
Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham to fill the remainder of her brother's term through early January, making her South Carolina's first female senator. She will serve in that capacity while competing in the special primary set for August 11.
The endorsement comes as Republicans scramble to consolidate around a candidate following Lindsey Graham's unexpected death Saturday night. The longtime senator had been positioned for what would have been a fifth term, having secured the GOP nomination in June ahead of a general election scheduled for November.
Other potential candidates are still weighing their options. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Rep. Nancy Mace had been discussed as possibilities before Trump's backing of Darline Graham. Businessman Mark Lynch, who lost to Lindsey Graham in the June primary, announced Monday he would revive his Senate campaign.
Darline and Lindsey Graham shared a notably close bond. Lindsey adopted his younger sister when she was 13, shortly after both of their parents died. "I don't know what I would have done without him," Darline told Fox News in a 2015 joint interview, reflecting on their relationship.
Per South Carolina law, Republican candidates interested in running for the seat can begin filing their candidacy starting July 21.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Trump's move keeps the Graham name in South Carolina's Senate seat and dramatically simplifies the Republican primary landscape when the party could use stability."
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