Lindsey Graham’s Passing Sets Off Scramble For His South Carolina Senate Seat

Interesting henry mcmaster, joe wilson, nancy mace, pamela evette, trey gowdy admin July 16, 2026 0 Comments

Lindsey Graham’s Passing Sets Off Scramble For His South Carolina Senate Seat

Republican South Carolina Rep. Lindsey Graham’s passing has set off a scramble amongst state Republicans to fill his seat.

Multiple Republicans in the Palmetto State are vying for a chance to fill the vacancy. The special Republican primary election is scheduled for August 11 to select a nominee.

Republican Gov. Henry McMaster is expected to announce his appointment of a temporary replacement today. The interim Senator would serve through Jan. 3, 2027, when the next Congress begins. (RELATED: Lindsey Graham’s Death Expected To Cause Major Hurdles For Senate GOP)

South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette has been floated as a candidate to fill the seat following Graham’s death. This would come just weeks after Evette lost to Republican South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson in the GOP gubernatorial primary on June 9th.

Trump himself, in a Truth Social post on Monday, said that as a tribute to the former Senator, his sister, Darline Graham Nordone, should be appointed interim Senator.

Graham and Nordone lost their mother to cancer in 1976. Just 15 months later, their father died of a heart attack.

After both parents died, Lindsey Graham, then 22, helped raise his 13-year-old sister, Nordone, according to a New York Times (NYT) report.

Reflecting on that time, she said, “He’s always been there for me,” describing the close bond they maintained throughout his life.

Nordone spoke briefly with the New York Post (NYP) on Monday about the loss of her brother following his death Saturday night, according to a report.

“Actually, I’m just kind of like devastated right now,” Nordone told the NYP.

Republican South Carolina Reps. Joe Wilson and Nancy Mace have both weighed in on the possibility of succeeding Graham.

Wilson, who has represented South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District since 2001, quickly emerged as one of the names floated for the appointment. A senior member of the House, he serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, giving him extensive foreign policy and national security experience, similar to Graham’s.

However, Wilson appeared to rule himself out in a post on X, saying he spoke with President Donald Trump about Graham, whom he described as their “mutual friend,” and pledged to remain in the House to help Republicans maintain their slim majority ahead of the midterm elections. (RELATED: Lindsey Graham Dead At 71)

“I was grateful to speak with President Trump today reminiscing about our mutual friend, Senator Lindsey Graham. I assured him my goal is to remain in the House to keep his two-vote majority for the American people!!!”

Mace, meanwhile, appeared to hint at a potential Senate bid for the upcoming primary following her loss in the state’s GOP gubernatorial primary. In a cryptic post on X Sunday, she signaled interest in running for Graham’s seat, writing, “Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in…”

She appeared on Fox News on Sunday, where she answered the question as to whether she’ll run for Graham’s seat, saying, “I am never going to shut the door. I love the state of South Carolina. You only live once, and, you know, if the people of South Carolina would like me to serve in that capacity, I’ll certainly take a look at it.”

In reaction to Trump’s suggestion to appoint Graham’s sister as interim Senator of South Carolina, Mace, in a post on X, wrote Monday, “I wholeheartedly support the President in his recommendation. What a wonderful idea!”

Graham’s 2026 GOP primary opponent, Mark Lynch, says he has made the decision to run in the upcoming primary, saying he is “answering the call” of voters, supporters, donors, and helpers, going onto say “they are ready to finish what we started,” in a interview with Real America’s Voice’s (RAV), American Sunrise, on Monday morning.

Former South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy has also been brought up as a possible choice. Gowdy served as the Representative for South Carolina’s 4th district from 2011 to 2019.

While in Congress, Gowdy served as Chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee from 2017 to 2019. He also chaired the Select Committee on the 2012 Benghazi attack. In addition, he served on the Judiciary, Intelligence, and Ethics committees. (RELATED: Trump Reveals Why Lindsey Graham Went From Being Rival He Once Doxxed To His Biggest Fan Almost Overnight)

Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott on Sunday threw his support behind Gowdy to fill the Senate seat, according to a Politico report.

In response to Trump’s social media post suggesting Nordone as the interim replacement, Scott responded, writing, “Lindsey Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, would be a fantastic pick to serve out the remainder of the Senate term.”

Scott further noted that after speaking with her, it’s clear she has the greatest insight into Lindsey’s “love for family, our state, and our country.”

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has also emerged as a potential successor, with supporters online urging her to take the seat.

However, the idea has also drawn pushback from critics on social media, leaving her among the more polarizing names floated for the position.

Chief Congressional Correspondent for Fox News, Chad Pergram, noted on Monday in a post that McMaster’s appointment to Graham’s seat will be a caretaker and not someone who will run for the full-term.

Graham’s death comes after he won the Republican Senate nomination in the South Carolina primary on June 9th for a new six-year term.