Updated July 14, 2026 at 2:03 PM CDT
The sister of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who died in office on Saturday, has been sworn in as the first woman to represent South Carolina in the U.S. Senate.
Darline Graham was sworn in on Tuesday during a brief ceremony administered by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. She will finish the rest of her late brother's term, which expires in January.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham to finish her brother's term following his death at the age of 71.
The appointment will last just a few months. Graham was up for reelection this year, and won his Republican primary just last month. Republicans who want to vie for the full term starting next year will run in a special primary election Aug. 11.
It is not clear if Graham intends to seek a full term in the Senate to succeed her brother.
"Lindsey has always been there for me and now I will be there for him," Graham said at a press conference on Monday. "It is such a privilege to finish some of his important work, and I promise to work hard every day 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."
In the day after Graham's unexpected death, top Republicans seemed to quickly coalesce around elevating his sister for the seat. President Trump recommended her in a post on social media writing, "This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!"
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., also blessed the choice and appeared alongside Graham as McMaster made the announcement.
Graham has never held elected office, but was a regular presence at her brother's campaign events over the years, including around his bid for the Republican nomination for president in 2016.
She has been commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind since 2019, where she worked to "expand opportunities for South Carolinians who are blind or have low vision to achieve employment independence," according to the governor's office.
Graham also sits on the South Carolina State Workforce Development Board and is president-elect of the National Council of State Agencies for the Blind.
The Graham siblings had a close relationship forged by the death of their parents just over a year apart. Lindsey was in college and Darline was 13. The elder Graham became his sister's guardian and later adopted her so she could receive his benefits from his service as a lawyer in the Air Force.
"I can remember the day my father passed away standing in the living room of that house absolutely scared to death," Graham told NPR in 2015. "Lindsey wrapped his arms around me and promised me he would always be there for me and always take care of me."
Even with Graham's swearing in, her brother's death could still complicate action in the Senate. He chaired the budget committee, which would be responsible for setting up the process for a third party-line budget reconciliation bill. He also served on the judiciary committee, which is now weighing Trump's nomination for attorney general, Todd Blanche.
Several South Carolina Republicans have indicated an interest in running for a full-term, including Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman.
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