EXCLUSIVE — Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, will be sworn in to his Senate seat on Tuesday afternoon, according to two sources familiar with the matter.The swearing-in ceremony, slated for 2:30 p.m., will occur nearly a day after Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) named Nordone to serve in Graham’s place for the remainder of the year. Graham, who was up for reelection this year, died suddenly on Saturday.Nordone will attend the Senate Republican lunch before taking her oath, the Washington Examiner first reported.
Nordone appeared at the Monday afternoon event where McMaster announced her appointment, holding back tears as she delivered brief remarks promising to be a good steward of Graham’s legacy.“It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and United States,” Nordone said.Nordone has little political history but was close with her brother, who became her legal guardian after their parents died.Graham’s death, at the age of 71, came after he returned from a trip to Ukraine, where he announced that the White House had signed off on a Russia sanctions bill that had been stalled for months.A bipartisan group of senators has called for passage of that bill as a “tribute” to Graham and his work on foreign policy.It is not yet clear who will take over Graham’s committee assignments, but the speed of Nordone’s swearing-in underscores the desire of Senate Republicans to return to their 53-seat majority quickly. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been absent since June after suffering a fall.SENATE GOP AGENDA SUFFERS ANOTHER SETBACK WITH LINDSEY GRAHAM’S DEATHIn the interim, Graham’s death has narrowed Republicans’ majority on the Judiciary Committee, which will consider Todd Blanche’s controversial nomination for attorney general on Wednesday.Nordone’s appointment is separate from a special primary election that will be held to replace Graham as the Republican nominee for a full, six-year term. That election has been scheduled for Aug. 11.
