{"id":2630297,"date":"2026-07-15T18:41:01","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T22:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tim-scott-floats-darline-graham-nordone-as-permanent-successor-to-her-brother\/"},"modified":"2026-07-15T18:43:59","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T22:43:59","slug":"tim-scott-floats-darline-graham-nordone-as-permanent-successor-to-her-brother","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tim-scott-floats-darline-graham-nordone-as-permanent-successor-to-her-brother\/","title":{"rendered":"Tim Scott floats Darline Graham Nordone as permanent successor to her brother"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftim-scott-floats-darline-graham-nordone-as-permanent-successor-to-her-brother%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2630297&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) indicated interest in a potential primary run for the South Carolina Senate seat vacated by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, suggesting that Darline Graham Nordone, who was recently appointed to fill her brother&#8217;s remaining term, could be a strong candidate. Scott questioned why Nordone should not run in the GOP primary to become Graham&#8217;s permanent replacement. While Scott did not endorse any candidate publicly, he noted he might support Nordone personally and has encouraged others, including trey Gowdy, to consider running. The primary is scheduled for August 11, with the winner facing Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in November. The seat is considered safely Republican in the general election.<\/p>\n<p>graham Nordone, who is serving temporarily after her appointment by Governor henry McMaster, has not publicly expressed interest in a permanent run. Other potential contenders include Representatives Ralph Norman and Nancy Mace, Lt. Gov. pamela Evette, and Representative Russell fry, who has ties to former President Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly over the weekend due to a tear in his aorta before his fifth Senate re-election. He was known for his focus on foreign policy, particularly his support for Ukraine. Scott emphasized that his priority is for the selected successor to embody qualities such as a strong foreign policy stance and humble beginnings, rather than backing specific candidates at this stage. Scott clarified he woudl not interfere in the primary as a campaign chairman but might endorse as a private citizen.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tim-scott\/\">Tim Scott<\/a> (R-SC) suggested Wednesday that interim Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4646870\/what-to-know-darline-graham-nordone-senator\/\">Darline Graham Nordone<\/a> (R-SC), the sister of the late Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lindsey-graham\/\">Lindsey Graham<\/a> who was sworn in this week to fill her older brother\u2019s seat, run in the South Carolina special GOP primary to become his permanent replacement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2019Why not her?\u2019 would be my question, as it relates to the folks that are in the race, other members of Congress, and former congressmembers who\u2019ve called me as well,\u201d Scott told reporters. \u201cThere certainly seems to be a long list of folks who want to get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4649752\/john-fetterman-downplays-gop-fundraising-partnership-dodges-reelection-plans\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Fetterman downplays GOP fundraising partnership and dodges reelection plans<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4649436\/dsa-defend-plan-abolish-senate\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DSA co-chairman defends plan to abolish Senate: \u2018We don\u2019t think that\u2019s extreme\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4649348\/jon-ossoff-20-million-fundraising-georgia-senate-race\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Jon Ossoff boasts $20 million fundraising haul<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An Aug. 11 special Republican Senate primary will be held, the winner of which will take on Democratic nominee Annie Andrews in the November midterm elections for a full six-year term.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scott, who leads the Senate GOP\u2019s campaign arm, noted he would not put his thumb on the scale of the primary as a campaign chairman but could make an endorsement in a personal capacity as Graham\u2019s former home state colleague. The seat is firmly in the GOP\u2019s hands for the general election, meaning the nominee is all but certain to win in November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs Tim Scott, the voter of South Carolina, I might indeed wade into the water at some point,\u201d Scott said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reached out to Nordone for comment. She assumed her brother\u2019s seat Tuesday after being appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) and will serve the remainder of Graham\u2019s term, which ends in January 2027. It\u2019s unclear whether she would be interested in running for the permanent position and was believed to be only a temporary caretaker of the seat.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scott has lobbied Fox News host Trey Gowdy, a former South Carolina Republican congressman, to launch a bid but was reportedly turned down.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI can\u2019t think of a better person that I think represents the heart of South Carolina than Trey Gowdy,\u201d Scott said. \u201cHowever, he\u2019s been pretty clear that he is not looking for the job [or] asking for the job.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">Newly-appointed U.S. interim Senator Darline Graham Nordone, right, with Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., left, speaks during a press conference announcing her appointment to fill the vacancy created by the passing of her brother, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, at the statehouse Monday, July 13, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo\/Sean Rayford)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/07\/localimages\/AP26194765305849.jpg?w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Newly-appointed interim Sen. Darline Graham Nordone (R-SC), right, with Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), left, speaks during a press conference announcing her appointment to fill the vacancy created by the death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, at the statehouse Monday, July 13, 2026, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo\/Sean Rayford)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other potential contenders include the state\u2019s three unsuccessful candidates for governor this year: Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Nancy Mace (R-SC), and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC), who has close ties to President Donald Trump, is another possible candidate.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Graham was set to score his fifth reelection in November but died suddenly over the weekend after a tear in his aorta, according to preliminary medical findings.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4648442\/scott-bessent-no-chance-run-for-lindsey-graham-seat\/\">SCOTT BESSENT SAYS THERE IS \u2018NO CHANCE\u2019 HE WILL RUN FOR LINDSEY GRAHAM\u2019S SENATE SEAT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Graham was chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and among the most foreign policy-focused Republicans in Congress. He was a strong supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia and had just returned from an overseas trip to the country when he died. Among the qualities Scott wants Graham\u2019s ultimate successor to embody is a \u201cdesire for a foreign policy footprint\u201d and someone \u201cwho understood the humble beginnings.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s more important for me to talk about the qualities that I want to see in the person, as opposed to the qualities I don\u2019t see in some of the folks,\u201d Scott said of candidates. \u201cIn my opinion, the voters get to decide whether or not the candidate has qualities or not.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tim Scott suggests Darline Graham Nordone for Senate run<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3108,"featured_media":2630298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/darline-graham-sworn-in.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[82778,82779,5894,51749,33056],"class_list":["post-2630297","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-darline-graham","tag-nordone","tag-politics","tag-successor-2","tag-tim-scott"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/darline-graham-sworn-in.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630297","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2630297"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2630300,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2630297\/revisions\/2630300"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2630298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2630297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2630297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2630297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}