Decision made: Lindsey Graham's sister confirms she will run for full term in Senate

Darline Graham Nordone announced that she will run for a full term in the Senate representing South Carolina. The sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham confirmed her intentions in an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, just days after Donald Trump encouraged her to run and endorsed her potential candidacy.

Graham Nordone, 62, was recently appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to serve out the remainder of her brother's term in the Senate. She became the first woman to represent the state in the Senate.

The election for a full term is in November, so there were high expectations regarding the senator's decision. Just days before the deadline to file for candidacy, she spoke with Hannity about her motivations in making a decision.

"I've been praying a lot, talking to my family. But with the love of my family, with the support of his staff, I know I'm a hard worker. I learned that from Lindsay. He cared about the people of this state," the senator said.

"I've worked for almost thirty years for the people of this state. I wanna talk about that in a minute. I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it. Will it be difficult? Yes. Absolutely," she added.

Moments later, Hannity asked her directly if she was going to enter the race, to which Graham Nordone replied: "Yes, I'm going to do it."

Although she had never held elected office, the senator spent much of her career at state agencies dedicated to vocational rehabilitation and job placement for people with disabilities. Since 2019, she has served as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.

Other examples of current senators who were initially appointed to fill vacancies and later sought a full term include Tim Scott of South Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

Who will Graham Nordone be running against?

The South Carolina primary took place on June 10, when Lindsey Graham easily secured the Republican nomination. However, due to his unexpected death, a special primary was scheduled for August 11. The winner will face off in November against Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician with no experience in elected office.

In addition to Graham Nordone, several high-profile figures have announced their candidacies. Among them are Mark Lynch, who ran against Lindsey Graham in June, and Congressmen Ralph Norman and Russell Fry.

In addition, Congresswoman Nancy Mace and former Governor Mark Sanford have publicly expressed interest in running.