Trump urges Lindsey Graham's sister Darline to run for his permanent seat slapping down Republicans eager to take the reins

By SAMANTHA LOREN, US POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 20:56, 17 July 2026 | Updated: 20:58, 17 July 2026 President Donald Trump is urging Darline Graham Nordone to seek a full term in the Senate after stepping into the seat left vacant by her late brother, longtime South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham. In a statement, the President revealed that he personally asked Nordone during a visit to the White House this week to enter the Republican special primary, calling her 'a spectacular person' and 'a true American patriot.' 'I asked Darline, for the good of our nation, to run for the U.S. Senate,' Trump wrote before ending his message with the emphatic rallying cry: 'RUN, DARLINE, RUN!' Trump also promised Nordone his 'complete and total endorsement' should she decide to enter the race, saying there would be 'nobody better' to honor her brother's legacy. His decision to back Nordone puts other South Carolina Republicans hoping to take control - including outgoing Congresswoman Nancy Mace, Congressman Russel Fry, and others - in their place.  New interim Senator for South Carolina Darline Graham Nordone, sister of late Senator Lindsey Graham, is ceremonially sworn in on July 14