A month and a half after brother's death: Darlene Graham on track to succeed him in the Senate
Darlene Graham, 62, defeated veteran Congressman Ralph Norman in the second round of the special primaries, securing about 52.5% of the vote.
Less than seven weeks after the sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham, his younger sister Darlene completed an extraordinary political journey last night: from a public servant who was barely known outside South Carolina, to the Republican candidate for the Senate — and the favorite to succeed her brother for a full six-year term.
Graham, 62, defeated veteran Congressman Ralph Norman last night (Tuesday to Wednesday) in the second round of the special primaries, with about 52.5% of the vote compared to about 47.5% according to early forecasts. In the first round, in which ten candidates competed, she finished first but did not achieve a majority. In November, she will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician from Charleston, but in the Republican state, she is considered a clear favorite for a six-year term.
Lindsey Graham died in Washington on July 11, at the age of 71, shortly after returning from a visit to Ukraine. According to the initial findings of the medical examiner, he suffered from an aortic dissection — a tear in the inner wall of the main artery — against a background of atherosclerosis. President Donald Trump said that Graham spoke with him that evening and sounded "a little tired, but perfectly fine."
"Brother, father and mother — all in one person"
The bond between the siblings was especially deep. Their mother died of cancer in 1976, and their father died of a heart attack about 15 months later. Lindsey was 22 at the time and Darlene was 13. He returned from his studies almost every weekend to take care of her, and later became her legal guardian. Darlene described him in the past as "brother, father and mother — all in one person." Lindsey, who never married and had no children, said that raising his sister was his greatest source of pride.
Two days after his death, the Governor of South Carolina, Henry McMaster, appointed Darlene to fill his place until January. The appointment, which Trump recommended, made her the first woman to represent the state in the Senate. "Lindsey was always there for me, and now I will be there for him," she said. She then turned to her brother: "I miss you more than I can describe, but I will do it. I will take care of it."
Trump did not settle for the temporary appointment. He encouraged her to run for a full term, gave her "full and complete support," and arrived at a rally attended by thousands in Myrtle Beach. "I'm doing this to honor Lindsey," he explained, and called on his supporters to vote as if he himself were a candidate: "I am on the ballot." The political action committee MAGA Inc. spent $827,711 on calls and messages to voters in her favor — an unusual investment by the president's political apparatus in the primaries this year.
Norman, a long-time member of the conservative wing of the House of Representatives, presented her candidacy as an expression of nepotism and argued that a family connection is not a substitute for experience. Her most difficult moment came in a debate, when she was asked about Taiwan and the South China Sea. "I'll just be honest," she replied. "I'm not that well-versed in national security. National security is not my field." Boos were heard in the hall, but Trump called her answer "very honest."
Before her appointment, Graham worked for nearly 30 years in public service, mainly in assisting people with disabilities, and headed the state commission for the blind. In the campaign, she presented her lack of political experience as an advantage and focused on the cost of living, immigration, abortion, and election integrity.
On the issue of Israel, she sought to clarify that she would continue the path of her brother, who was one of its most prominent supporters in Washington. "I stand with Israel," she declared. "We have a moral and religious duty to stand with the Jewish people and the State of Israel in the face of those who seek to destroy them." Her victory is perceived not only as a continuation of an extraordinary family legacy, but also as a personal victory for Trump and further proof of his influence on the Republican Party.
