Darline Graham was sworn in to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday to fill the seat vacated by her brother, the late Senator Lindsey Graham. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster appointed Graham to the position following her brother's death on Saturday at age 71. Senator Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, administered the oath of office during a ceremony on the Senate floor.
Graham will serve the remainder of the current term, which expires in January. While she has never held elected office, she has served as the commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind since 2019 and is a member of the South Carolina State Workforce Development Board. Graham stated her intent to continue her brother's work on behalf of South Carolina for the next several months.
The appointment occurs as a special primary election is scheduled for Aug. 11 to determine the Republican nominee for the full six-year term beginning in 2024. Lindsey Graham had won the regular Republican primary in June shortly before his death. Representatives Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman are among the South Carolina Republicans who have expressed interest in the seat. It is currently unconfirmed if Darline Graham will seek the full term.