President Donald Trump said on Friday, July 17, that he had asked Darline Graham to run in the Republican special primary for the U.S. Senate in South Carolina on August 11. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he hopes Darline will run and added that she would have his endorsement, noting she would be well placed to honor the legacy of her brother, the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
Darline Graham is the sister of Lindsey Graham, who died late on Saturday from a heart ailment caused by hardening of the arteries, the senator's office said last weekend. Lindsey Graham was once a vocal critic of Trump who later became one of the president's staunchest allies.
Republican Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham on Monday to occupy the late senator's seat on an interim basis. That appointment will extend through the first week of January, when the winner of the special election is expected to take the seat. The special Republican primary in South Carolina is set for August 11.
The timing of the appointment and of the primary comes as Republicans hold a narrow majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives heading into the November midterm elections. The outcome of the special primary and subsequent general contest will determine who fills the seat beyond the interim period.
The late senator's memorial services are scheduled for July 28 in Washington and July 29 in South Carolina. No additional details about Darline Graham's candidacy beyond the president's public request and endorsement were provided in the statement.
Context and immediate developments
President Trump's public appeal for Darline Graham to enter the special primary was conveyed via Truth Social, where he said she would have his endorsement and that she would be well suited to honor her brother's legacy. Governor McMaster's temporary appointment places her in the Senate seat until the first week of January, while the special primary on August 11 will narrow the field of Republican candidates vying for the longer term vacancy.