Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, was officially sworn in to the Senate on Tuesday afternoon to finish the remainder of her late brother’s term.
Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley presided over the ceremony.
Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, died over the weekend at the age of 71.
On Monday, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced he was appointing Darline Graham to serve in Lindsey Graham’s place until the term ends in early January. President Donald Trump also supported the appointment, calling it a fabulous tribute” to Lindsey Graham, who at a young age became Darline Graham’s legal guardian after the deaths of their parents.
“Lindsey has always been there for me. And now I will be there for him,” Darline Graham said on Monday.
Darline Graham Nordone speaks next to South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and Sen. Tim Scott after being appointed to fill the vacancy created by the passing of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, July 13, 2026, in Columbia, S.C.
Sean Rayford/AP Photo
Who is Darline Graham?
Darline Graham, who lives in Lexington, South Carolina, has served since 2019 as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, according to a biography provided by Gov. McMaster’s office on Monday. She also serves on the South Carolina State Workforce Development Board and is president-elect of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind.
She also previously held roles with Clemson University, the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce and the South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the governor’s office said.
Darline Graham, a mother of two, earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and is a certified public manager, according to the release.
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s desk in the Senate chamber is draped in a black shroud as the Senate gavels into session for the first time since his unexpected death this weekend, July 13, 2026 in Washington.
Senate TV
After their parents died when Lindsey Graham was 22 years old, he took on a caretaker role for Darline Graham, then 13, and became her legal guardian. Talking to C-SPAN in 2015, Lindsey Graham said his sister’s success was “the highlight” of his life “by far.”
Their close relationship was evident throughout Lindsey Graham’s political career. Darline Graham appeared with him several times on the campaign trail and in campaign videos.
Notes are posted at the office of Sen. Lindsey Graham in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 13, 2026, after the sudden death of Graham.
Finn Gomez/Getty Images
“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 the United States,” she said on Monday.
