South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced Monday that he has appointed the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to serve the remainder of his term.

Sen. Graham died suddenly on Saturday at 71 years old after returning earlier in the day from Ukraine.

The Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia issued preliminary findings on Sunday that the lawmaker had died from a ruptured aorta brought on by chronic heart disease.

The following information is from the Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia’s preliminary findings regarding Senator Graham’s death:

“The preliminary examination findings were:

– Aortic Dissection due to Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.

“The death… https://t.co/IgmXTGo1L4

— Taylor Reidy (@taylor_reidy) July 12, 2026

At a news conference Monday, McMaster recounted that he had spoken with Darline Sunday night about serving the rest of her brother’s term.

She agreed “through tears” to accept the appointment.

“I called the president [Donald Trump] afterwards, and he thought it was a great idea,” McMaster said.

Graham adopted Darline at age 13 when their parents passed away. pic.twitter.com/qjz2T1aPX9

— Andrew Kolvet (@AndrewKolvet) July 13, 2026

Trump posted on Truth Social Monday morning, “I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina. This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”

At Monday’s news conference, Darline, 62, first quipped after taking the podium, “One thing I’ve never heard Lindsey described as was irresistible. We’ll just start with that,” referring to McMaster’s remarks about her brother.

“Lindsey has always been there for me, and now I will be there for him,” she added.

The New York Times reported that in 1976, the late senator and Darline lost their mother to cancer, and just 15 months later, their father died of a heart attack.

“Mr. Graham was 22. His sister was just 13. Darline Graham Nordone said over the years that on the day their father died, she stood terrified of what it meant to be an orphan.
“She recalled Mr. Graham running to grab her, pulling her in for a hug,” the Times reported.

“He was like, ‘I am so sorry, but it’s going to be OK. I’m going to take care of you,’ Ms. Nordone said in a recent video recollecting the moment. ‘And he did. He’s always been there for me,'” the outlet added.

Lindsey enlisted in the Air Force and became his sister’s legal guardian, allowing her to qualify for his military benefits. “She credited him for making sure she finished high school and went to college,” the Times said.

Darline later married and became the mother of two. She worked in a field helping people with disabilities find jobs.

Sen. Graham told C-SPAN in 2015, “Of all the things that have happened in my life, her turning out so well is the highlight of it by far.”

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Contributing Journalist

SummaryMore Biographical InformationRecent PostsContact

Randy DeSoto has written more than 4,000 articles for The Western Journal since he began with the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."

Birthplace

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Nationality

American

Honors/Awards

Graduated dean's list from West Point

Education

United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law

Books Written

We Hold These Truths

Professional Memberships

Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars

Location

Phoenix, Arizona

Languages Spoken

English

Topics of Expertise

Politics, Entertainment, Faith