Washington — Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, was sworn in Tuesday to serve out the remainder of his term in the Senate, following his sudden death over the weekend.
Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa administered the oath of office on the Senate floor as dozens of senators, from both sides of the aisle, were in attendance and stood to applaud. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were also in attendance.
Graham, who died late Saturday at 71, was not married and did not have a family of his own. He and his sister had a close relationship. The late senator became his sister’s legal guardian when she was 13, after their parents died in short succession when Graham was in his early twenties.
Darline Graham now becomes the first woman to represent South Carolina in the Senate.
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South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to complete her brother’s term on Monday, amid encouragement from President Trump and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. During an emotional news conference announcing her appointment, McMaster said “Lindsey took care of his little sister in years long departed,” calling it an “honor to ask his little sister Darline Graham to finish his work for him now.”
Darline Graham, 62, called it “such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work,” while pledging 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.”
“Lindsey has always been there for me,” she said. “And now I will be there for him.”
The late senator’s term ends in early January, when a new Congress will be sworn in. Because the four-term senator had been seeking reelection, South Carolina will hold a special primary election on Aug. 11 to select a Republican to replace him on the ballot.
Darline Graham, who has had a career in disabilities services and most recently served as commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, doesn’t have a background in elected office. But she said Monday that with the support of her brother’s staff, she feels confident in her ability to carry out the role. Whether she runs for a six-year term or opts to serve simply as a caretaker for the seat for the coming months remains to be seen.
“I think this is what Lindsey would have wanted,” she said. “And I plan to honor him in this way.”
