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South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster (R) announced his appointment to fill the now-vacant Senate seat of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who passed away over the weekend.
McMaster has chosen Graham’s surviving sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to fill the seat as an interim senator.
During a press conference on Monday, McMaster said it was his duty to “name someone to serve in the place of this irresistible man, this irreplaceable man, this extraordinary man, for the remainder of his term.”
Nordone took the podium during the press conference to comment on the situation.
“Lindsey has always been there for me, and now, I will be there for him,” she stated. “…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 that with the support of the late senator’s staff, she felt “confident” and noted that “I think this is what Lindsey would have wanted and I plan to honor him in this way.”
According to Fox News, Nordone has never held public office. A special election primary for the seat is scheduled for August 11, the outlet noted, with a July 21 deadline to file as a candidate.
Graham had recently won his Republican primary for reelection in South Carolina and was slated to be on the ballot in November where he may have won a fifth term in the U.S. Senate.
As reported by RSBN, Graham passed away on Saturday, July 11, of what is believed to have been a ruptured aorta caused by chronic heart disease, as assessed in a preliminary report from the D.C. Chief Medical Examiner’s office. He was 71 years old.
“I recommended, to Governor Henry McMaster, Lindsey Graham’s wonderful sister, Darline, to serve as interim Senator from the Great State of South Carolina,” the president wrote. “This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!”