Darline Graham’s Riding With Trump—But Political Views Beyond That Still Unclear As Primary Looms

Aug 11, 2026 02:47 AM - 2 hours ago 1

Topline

Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., who was appointed to switch her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., erstwhile he died abruptly past month, is moving arsenic a pro-Trump Republican, though her governmental views beyond that are mostly chartless and polls show the title is apt headed to a runoff.

Sen. Darline Graham Nordone, R-S.C., makes her measurement to a swearing successful ceremonial successful the U.S. Capitol aft she was sworn successful connected the Senate level connected Tuesday, July 14, 2026. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Key Facts

Graham has campaigned connected her support for President Donald Trump, who has endorsed her for a afloat term, though she didn’t ballot successful the 2024 statesmanlike superior aliases the 2016 wide election, The Washington Post reported, citing voting records.

In a Fox News question and reply connected Monday, the web asked Graham to reconcile her run messaging astir affordability pinch the antagonistic economical impacts of the Iran warfare and she said, “I recognize the value of state is simply a small precocious correct now, but I deliberation President Trump is gonna get america done this and the value of state will yet travel down . . . I judge successful him erstwhile it comes to dealing pinch Iran.”

Graham said during a caller statement she supports ending the filibuster—contradicting her brother—and wishes the Senate would person stayed successful session, alternatively of breaking for August recess, to activity toward passing the elector ID rule Trump has pushed for, the SAVE America Act.

She besides pushed for transition of a measure named aft her relative to enforce caller sanctions connected Russia and let the president to enforce 100% tariffs connected buyers of Russian oil; the measurement was approved 86-11 past week.

In her first run advertisement released precocious past month, she called herself a “conservative Republican,” advocated against abortion, against transgender athletes competing successful women’s and girls’ sports and echoed Trump’s concerns astir non-citizens voting.

Graham has made constricted nationalist comments since she was appointed to switch her brother, refusing hallway interviews pinch reporters, and giving 2 televised interviews to Fox News, The New York Times noted.

What To Watch For

Republican South Carolina Reps. Russell Fry and Ralph Norman, erstwhile Gov. Mark Sanford and businessman Mark Lynch, who placed 2nd down Lindsey Graham successful the GOP superior earlier this year, are besides moving successful Tuesday’s typical superior predetermination to switch Lindsey Graham connected the November ballot. Polls indicate nary campaigner will unafraid the mostly of votes, positioning the title for a runoff.

Key Background

Prior to her assignment to the Senate, Graham served arsenic commissioner of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind since 2019, and has worked astatine Clemson University, for the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, and the South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, according to a property merchandise from Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. She campaigned for her relative passim his governmental career—sometimes appearing pinch him astatine run events and successful a 2014 advertisement successful which she often talked astir really he raised her erstwhile he became her ineligible guardian aft their parents died wrong 15 months of each different erstwhile she was conscionable 13. Graham has advocated for disablement authorities legislation, group who worked pinch her told PBS News—she helped undo subminimum costs argumentation successful South Carolina erstwhile the authorities legislature voted to extremity it successful 2022 and was coming astatine the measure signing. Graham, 62, graduated from the College of Charleston successful 1989 pinch a grade successful sociology; she is joined to Larry Nordone, and has 2 daughters. Lindsey Graham, 71, died connected July 11 from a tear successful the body’s main artery, according to a preliminary study from the Washington, D.C., aesculapian examiner. He served 4 position successful the Senate and was wide expected to beryllium elected to a 5th aft winning his superior successful June. Lindsey Graham was champion known arsenic a overseas argumentation hawk—a staunch advocator for Israel and Ukraine—and for his adjacent narration pinch Trump. He rebuilt his narration pinch Trump, acting arsenic a liaison betwixt the White House and the Senate, aft he was sharply captious of Trump erstwhile the 2 ran against each different for the 2016 GOP statesmanlike nomination.

What Did Lindsey Graham said astir his sister?

Lindsey Graham told C-SPAN while discussing his narration pinch his sister successful 2015, “of each the things that person happened successful my life, her turning retired truthful good is the item of it, because she was 13, mislaid some of her parents. She’s sewage 2 daughters, 1 21, 1 6, and she’s made an unthinkable life for herself.” Lindsey Graham, who was ne'er joined and had nary children, besides said during his statesmanlike run successful 2015 his sister could service arsenic a “rotating first lady” if he were elected president.