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President Donald Trump has publicly urged Darline Graham Nordone, sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, to run in the upcoming special Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. Trump announced his endorsement on Friday (July 17) via a post on Truth Social, stating he asked Nordone "to run for the U.S. Senate in the Special Republican Primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026," and emphasized she has his "complete and total endorsement."
Nordone was recently appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to fill her brother's Senate seat following his sudden death from an aortic dissection. She is the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate. Her appointment is temporary, lasting until the end of the current term in January 2027.
The special election to determine the Republican nominee for the general election will be held on August 11, with a potential runoff on August 25 if no candidate secures a majority. According to NBC News, Nordone has not yet publicly confirmed her candidacy.
Several prominent South Carolina Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Rep. Nancy Mace, are also considered potential candidates. Businessman Mark Lynch, who lost to Lindsey Graham in the June primary, has already announced plans to revive his campaign.
As reported by PBS, the race for this rare open Senate seat has sparked significant interest among South Carolina's conservative political figures. The outcome of the special election will play a crucial role in determining the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate in the upcoming Congress.