Story perspectives

SC Governor Appoints First Female Senator After Graham’s Death

7/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

Darline Graham Nordone, a disability-employment specialist, will become South Carolina’s first female U.S. senator after Governor Henry McMaster appointed her to Sen. Lindsey Graham’s vacant seat.
Sen. Lindsey Graham died on July 11, 2026, at 71 from a ruptured aorta due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senator Tim Scott endorsed the appointment.
Graham Nordone will be sworn in Wednesday and serve at least until Jan. 3, 2027.

History

Historical Context

The 1992 Senate elections, dubbed the “Year of the Woman,” saw four Democratic women—Dianne Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Patty Murray and Carol Moseley Braun—join the chamber, giving California both seats and leaving the Senate’s partisan balance unchanged. Governor Henry McMaster’s recent appointment of Darline Graham Nordone, backed by John Thune and Tim Scott, echoes that historic push for women in the Senate.

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Story summary

Darline Graham Nordone, a disability-employment specialist, will become South Carolina’s first female U.S. senator after Governor Henry McMaster appointed her to Sen. Lindsey Graham’s vacant seat.
Sen. Lindsey Graham died on July 11, 2026, at 71 from a ruptured aorta due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senator Tim Scott endorsed the appointment.
Graham Nordone will be sworn in Wednesday and serve at least until Jan. 3, 2027.

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